Hollow
by DeadRat309
Summary: Rain always holds secrets within itself... waiting for the day those sinful memories being revealed... DarkKrad, SatoDai, as always.
1. Chapter 1

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: No, not KradDark. DarkKrad. SatoDai.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own D. N. Angel. But technically I own Krad. Does that count?**

* * *

**Chapter I**

He hated the rain.

It had been raining since the second day of the week, heavily, constantly. As if God had finally decided to freaking punish his despicable fallen angel. Though angels, once fell from the Heaven, would be angels no more.

He hated the rain.

Krad leaned slightly against the doorframe, golden hair streaming down his shoulders like a current of beautiful moonlight, knees drawing up to his chest. He despised rainy days just as much as he was craving for them, wanting to taste every single drop, desiring the cold feeling running down his skin. It was such a stupid oxymoron, waiting for moments of rain when he knew for sure he'd get sick when they showed up. He would laugh every time he spared a thought about it, only to earn an odd look from his dearest Satoshi-sama. _"If you've gone insane, get out of my mind", _the kid would say that, and he would smirk his typically arrogant smirk, enjoying all the frowning and annoyed expression from his little tamer.

The Hikari had fallen asleep.

The blond looked up at the table clock. Fifteen more minutes until he had to wake his 'everything' up to prepare for tonight. He closed his eyes for a second, letting sounds of transparent drops surrounded himself.

_Pitter patter, pitter patter_

_And he jumped off the cliff._

* * *

_**I hate you, Dai-chan.**_

_**What? What did I do?**_

_**Nothing. But your mother did **_**something.**

_**What?**_

_**Are you blind? It's raining cats and mice!**_

_**You mean cats and dogs.**_

_**Whatever… What kind of thief would go stealing in the freaking **_**rain**_**?**_

_**You do.**_

The purple-haired thief sighed exasperatedly, dropping an unconscious guard down and cleared his way to his destination. Really, he did love Emiko, she was like his mother or something, but she couldn't just force him out to do his job whenever she felt like it! He was just human! Oh well… maybe not human, but a living creature nonetheless.

_**What is the artifact's name again?**_

_**You never listen, do you?**_

_**Just answer me.**_

_**The Black Hole.**_

_**Sounds creepy…**_

The thief whistled happily as he found the door he needed. It didn't take him more than a second to deal with the lock. Smirking cockily, Dark flung the door open and stepped in.

"Hah! Too easy! Now where is that Black-whatever-it-is?"

"You're looking for this?"

A low, silky voice filled his ears. The purpled-haired man turned around.

"Exactly! Thank yo…"

And he stopped.

_Oh shit…_

* * *

White, in its own meaning, never meant to be a pure color. Wasn't it a little _too_ easy to dirty white things? Simply with a drop of mud. Of ink. Of _blood_.

And that was precisely why, white. was. a. tainted. color.

Tainted.

Just like himself.

Perhaps it was also the reason why he felt somewhat attracted to his prey the first time he ever set his eyes on him. Dark Mousy was everything he wouldn't be, _couldn't _be - the symbol of pride, of beauty, of darkness. The thief was, in his very existence, _untainted_.

Didn't they say, what, _opposites attract_?

"Why thief, just go ahead. What stopped you?"

Golden orbs glinted in amusement. Inside him, Satoshi-sama was yelling his brain out, demanding him not to touch his precious little Niwa. _Like I would actually listen to you, brat… _Krad lazily held up the object of his protection, waving it in front of violet eyes. Dark seemed panicked for a moment, but he calmed himself down quickly.

"There, there, Kraddie, now I would very appreciate if you give that…" He eyed the artifact carefully. It was a thin necklace attached to a plain black gem. "… to me."

"No can do, Mousy, I'm afraid…"

The silky voice went even smoother. Krad chuckled softly. _What the hell are you chuckling for, you bastard?_

Dark narrowed his eyes.

"Very well I guess… Then we can play it the hard way…"

The hunter cocked his head to the side, pleased.

Didn't they say, what, _untainted things are made to be tainted_?

* * *

_._

_._

_Ring around the roses_

_Pockets full of posie_

_Ashes_

_Ashes…_

_._

_._

"…_We all fall down." _

Krad whispered, twisting his sword, making his prey scream in pain. _Beautiful lullaby… _A sadistic smile formed on rosy lips as he pressed his metal bar further into flesh. Blood spilt onto his white wings, painted them with the fascinating color of red. The blond slowly pulled away, contentedly licking droplets of crimson liquid off his cold weapon.

_Sweet…_

**I TOLD YOU NOT TO HURT HIM!**

**What makes you think I'll obey you?**

The rain continued pouring down.

Hard.

_Pitter patter, pitter patter…_

_**Dark? Dark, are you okay?**_

_**Do I look **_**okay**_** to you?**_

_**Switch with me! You're weak for now!**_

_**Like hell, Dai-chan. You're even weaker.**_

Dark grimaced in pain. He still had many wishes to fulfill, dammit. He couldn't just die like this. Where was God when he needed him? An atheist could once in a while believe in something, couldn't he?

"You're becoming predictable, thief…"

"Why thank you."

The thief shut his eyes close when the hunter raised his sword again. Great, he was going to die at this freaking museum, murdered by his bastard of a counterpart. Joyous.

_What took him so long? Bring that metal bar down already!_

Soft, cold lips suddenly pressed against his. The taller man froze. He instantly shoved the hunter off of him, wiping his mouth in utter surprise. Cat-like eyes landed on him with an indifference expression.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"You know I still love you…" It was more of a statement than a question.

_**What?**_

**What?**

"Liar…" Dark winced as he sat up "We both know it never happens."

"Oh, but it did happen, thief… I told you that two hundred years ago, didn't I?"

"In case you don't remember, we're enemies." The thief smirked sarcastically. "We've been fucking trying to kill each other for over forty decades, no?"

Sighed. Sometimes Dark's stupidity just annoyed the shit out of him.

"We do, because you work for the Niwa…"

"I work for no one. And whatever do you have against the Ni… With, NO!"

The rabbit-like creature shrieked as pale hands grabbed him in his movement and flung him to a corner of the room. He whimpered as his wings hit the floor with an undeniably crack sound. The hunter threw the rabbit an empty look, before he pushed his slender body off the ground and walked towards the unconscious familiar.

"KEEP AWAY FROM HIM!"

Krad didn't see that coming. An energy ball hit his left shoulder and slammed him to the nearby wall. Dark appeared in front of him like rapid fire, his hand tightened around his neck.

"Don't you dare touch him you bastard."

"Angry now, Mousy? Because of a despicable _pet_?"

"Shut up." The purpled-haired man hissed. "You're far more despicable, _demon_."

A flash of hurt swept across the fallen angel's feature, but was instantly swallowed by his cold facade. His lips curved up slightly.

"So you have a demon as an admirer. Be proud, Mousy."

Amethyst eyes narrowed dangerously. If not for the Hikari kid, he would _love_ to kill that heartless monster, right there, right now. The thief reluctantly released the shorter man, picking With up and escaped through the window.

Krad stood still. He could easily chase after his prey, since Dark was now wounded deeply as well as wingless. But he chose not to. The blond just stayed in his own place, blood streaming down his left arm, bathing the necklace in the sticky liquid.

"_You're far more despicable, demon."_

He quietly let out a rueful smile.

The rain continued pouring down.

Hard.

_Pitter _

_Patter _

_Pitter _

_Patter…_

… _And he jumped off the cliff._

* * *

_Whenever I put up with an angst, it just turns out short… I don't know why… T.T. Anyway, enjoy it! Oh, and it's a bit confusing, but 'he', as in, 'he jumped off the cliff' isn't Krad. I'll explain the next chapter._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

Daisuke quietly jumped from rooftop to rooftop, carefully so as not to disturbed the thief, who had fallen in a heavy sleep at the back of his mind. _So stubborn… Taking each and every wound to himself… He could've let me deal with them…_

With curled up into his embrace, 'kyuu'ing softly, trembling. But it seemed like the familiar was shivering with fear rather than because he was hurt.

_**Is he okay?**_

_**Dark? I thought you were asleep.**_

_**I'm fine. With…!?**_

_**He's gonna be okay. No fatal damage.**_

_**Good to know…**_

They fell into awkward silence.

_**Dark… **_The wing master hesitated for a moment. Then he decided to continue. _**I know it's not the time… But you and Krad…!?**_

_**Just don't believe his word.**_

Dark closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath as his tamer grew quiet again. The purple-haired man put his right arm across his forehead, lost in his thought.

_You know I still love you…_

Not like he didn't know that. Though he kept denying, deep inside, a part of him still acknowledged that what Krad said was the truth. The blond loved him, in his own twisted way, and it was not the first time the fallen angel spilt it onto his face. And he also knew, as clearly as Krad knew, that he just _couldn't_ return the other's feeling.

They were born to be enemies.

Two sides of a coin.

Two halves of the Kokuyoku.

Light and darkness.

"Wha…"

The red head suddenly skidded to a halt. Dark was pulled out of his thought. He peeped his eyes through his host's view, annoyed.

_**What's wrong with you?**_

_**He…**_

_**He?**_

Amethyst eyes caught the image of a tall man, with black hair tied back into a short ponytail and pitch black orbs. The white shirt stuck wetly into pale complexion, indicating that the stranger had stood under the rain for a while. The thief frowned. Had this man gone nuts or something? Staying outside in this kind of weather… Not to mention he was standing in their way.

"You're Daisuke Niwa, I supposed?"

The black-haired guy tilted his head, smiled slightly. Ruby eyes filled with confusion. Who was that? How did he know his name?

_**Be careful, Dai-chan.**_

_**I know.**_

"Ehm… Yes, I am… And you are…!?"

"My name's not important, kid…" The stranger reached out a hand and gently brushed the wet bang off the small boy's forehead. "What important is…"

His voice went so low that it was almost swallowed by the severe cry of the rain.

"… _Dark Mousy."_

Daisuke felt his body heating up. _What the…!?_

Something was being torn out from his soul.

Slowly.

Painfully.

He doubled over in agony, screaming aloud, hearing Dark doing the same inside him before the thief's voice went entirely unheard. He collapsed on the metal surface, body quivering. In his subconscious, echoed only the voice of the black-haired stranger.

"_Bring Krad… to the church tower… to me…"_

Then everything went black.

* * *

"Dai-chan? Dai-chan?"

The Niwa groaned, attempting to force his eyes to open up. His head was aching terribly. Now where was he? At home? But he was outside talking to a black-haired guy a moment before…

_The black-haired guy!_

He instantly pushed himself off the bed, which only resulted in making his horrible headache even more horrible. Daisuke stuck a hand into his red block, grimacing. Emiko worriedly laid him back down again.

"Easy, dear, you've just woken up. Don't be so harsh!"

"M… mom? What happened?"

"That should be my line." Kousuke sat down on the bed, checking his temperature. His dad seemed tired, and lack of sleep. "We found you unconscious on a rooftop yesterday. What happened?"

Right. The rooftop.

_**Dark?**_

No respond.

_**Dark? DARK? **_

_Oh no._

"Dark's gone! Mom, Dad, Dark's gone!" Ruby eyes windened. Daisuke frantically grabbed his father's sleeve, shouted. "Where has he gone? Why has he gone? Did you find him as well?"

"What do you mean Dark's gone? You sure he isn't asleep?" Kousuke narrowed his eyes. He put a hand on his son's shoulders, trying to calm him down.

"No… no…"

The red head embraced himself. Now he remembered that sensation… being torn out from something. From his alter-ego. From Dark.

"It's empty… I can't sense him anymore…"

Niwa Emiko pulled him into a warm hug. She rubbed his back tenderly and whispered, hiding very well that she was also panicking. "Hush… Don't worry honey… We'll find him soon…"

Daisuke didn't react. Why was he so useless? It was always Dark who protected him all the time… While he just sat there, doing nothing like an idiot. A stupid idiot.

"_Bring Krad… to the church tower… to me…"_

His mind clicked.

"I've got to go."

"Daisuke, no! You've just…"

The wing master didn't listen. He quickly got off the bed, snatching his coat and bolted to the door. Kousuke followed him suit.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Hiwatari-kun's house." Was the short reply. "If we don't hurry up, Dark's life will be endangered."

* * *

Satoshi sat on the floor, his paper work long forgotten. He couldn't concentrate. Niwa had been absent from school this morning, and the teacher had announced that it was a cold the red head had caught. Like hell he'd believe that. It got to be the fight at the museum the previous night. Was Niwa alright? Probably not... But being a Hikari as he was, he weren't able to contact with the Niwa family, then got away peacefully. Emiko wouldn't let him talk to the red head without asking questions first.

Shit.

**Oh my, is my little tamer worried?**

**Shut up.**

**That's getting old… **The curse replied teasingly. **Why're you upset anyway? It's not the first time we beat the shit out of them… Except this time things maybe more **_**serious**_**…**

That certainly didn't help.

**I thought you said you loved him.**

**Who?**

**Dark.**

**I do love him. That's why I want to kill him and make him all mine, no?**

**You disgust me.**

**Born that way.**

The entity's illusion appeared next to him. Pale hands wrapped around his neck, as the fallen angel whispered in an eerily sweet melody.

**You're still my everything, you know that? Be free to hate me.**

**No need to offer.**

Krad chuckled softly, giving him a ghostly peck on the cheek.

**Someday you'll see, Satoshi-sama… If you don't hold on to what you want, they'll all turn to dust...**

_Every single one._

Cold blue eyes glanced at golden orbs. It seemed like he'd just saw hurt in those honey ones, but when he looked again, the only thing he could see was an emotionless smile formed on the hunter's lips. _Great. Now I'm being delusional… _

… _aren't I?_

**You never tell me anything.**

**About what, Satoshi-sama?**

**About you. Your past.**

Krad raised an eyebrow. Well, well, they were having an other-than-hateful conversation? And Satoshi was the one who started it… He shrugged. Strange things always happened in rainy days…

_Just like that time._

**Aw… Satoshi-sama, I didn't know you care…**

**Stop with your sarcasm.**

**I'm just deeply touched.**

Satoshi growled. Why in the world was he stuck with such an unappreciative curse? Not to mention the feminine appearance…

**I'm not feminine, thank you.**

**You didn't answer my question.**

**About my past? It's not important.**

**Just tell me.**

**Someone's at the door, Satoshi-sama.**

**Stop avoiding the subject, you i…**

The doorbell rang.

The Commander grudgingly left his unfinished conversation, finding his way to the living room. Who the hell went to his house at _this_ hour? Moreover, it was still raining… He stopped for a minute, considering if he should just let that annoying guest waiting in the rain and pretend that he was sleeping. If luck touched him, it might be his step father…

**Open it, Satoshi-sama. It's your lover.**

**What?**

**The Niwa boy.**

**What is he doing here?**

**Coming to get himself killed, I supposed.**

**Don't you dare lay a finger on him…**

**Just open the damn door.**

The blunette did as instructed. A dot of red slammed into him, knocking both of them to the floor.

"Niwa? Are you alright?"

"Hiwatari-kun, please let me see Krad!"

_What?_

**Told you didn't I? Someone's gonna get himself killed…**

* * *

_You're still confused as to what the hell is happening, aren't you? Don't worry, your brains still function very well… 'cause I myself don't understand anything either. Stop looking at me as if I was a twit thief… Thank you…_

**Stormshadow13:** You've got your answer… Yeah, up there… And if you ever want to throw your shoes at me after you read that chapter, you're welcome XD…

**Crizzy-chan:** No, Krad wasn't cute. He was _beyond _cute! (squeal like a nut) Making me think of stuff… Stop glaring at me, thief. Ya know he's mine.

**Sarahfreak:** Right. Absolutely right. Chapter 1 was confusing… nah… confusing's a huge understatement... But I'm glad you enjoyed it. Indeed. (grin).

**Prince Raiden Ruler of thunder:** I updated! Yay! Cookies for me please? XD

**Domini-chan**: Yeah… I totally agree with what you said… That's why I'm feeling for Krad… no… falling for him to be precise. Oh, and I can't wait for the next part of your story! I'm old enough for violence parts, hah!

**Akurei. Tenshi23:** I kinda feel bad for them too. Having me as a fictioner… (laugh maniacally). Aw… but my Kraddie isn't mean! He's just weird… Like me…

**Frozen Sanctuary:** I promise you, someone _will _jump off the cliff… And it's neither me nor you XD. And I posted chapter 2 up! But quite late…


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

Sometimes Dark just wished he hadn't woken up.

His head hurt. His arms hurt. His legs hurt. His whole body hurt.

And he wished he hadn't woken up.

_**Dai-chan, what happened?**_

Silence.

_**Dai-chan?**_

Utter silence.

_Now this, is scary._

Indeed. First, he was in a total dark place, and if his eyes hadn't been trained to see clearly without light, he would've thought he was temporarily blinded. Second, this place was obviously _dead_. Now what other word could one use for an almost empty chamber – containing nothing but some dust, some abandoned spider webs along with a few broken chairs?

Third, he found himself here, unable to move, without the girly voice of his host.

"Don't tell me he's sleeping…"

"He isn't. He's just somewhere else."

"And who the heck are you, may I ask?"

The man shifted from his sitting position on an old wooden chair, head leaning against his hand. Black pupils pinned at him, and Dark felt slightly uncomfortable. Those eyes were void from emotions, making it impossible for him to read anything from them. Just like glassy eyes of dolls…

He hated dolls.

"An acquaintance of your friend…" His voice was deep, and smooth.

"My friend? I don't recall Dai-chan ever mentioned you."

"Not that friend…" A nearly invisible smirk. "Another one…"

"Another one?" Nice. He had another friend, and he didn't even _know_ that.

The stranger nodded nonchalantly, before directing his eyes towards the frame again, watching the dim shade of white painted by fallen water with mild interest.

"Right… A stubborn child that he is…"

* * *

Ten minutes had passed.

The unpleasantly thick tension kept spreading all over the small room, capturing the blue-haired teen in a surely not very nice state. Twin pieces of ice landed on his best friend through Krad's view, observing him, wondering whether it was safe to leave the red head and his curse together like that. Though the blond was less dangerous anyway, since Kousuke Niwa had decided to stay with them as well.

His curse still remained quiet.

"I know we shouldn't have bothered you…" Daisuke was the first to broke the tense atmosphere. "… But you're our only hope. And you…"

_You love him._

The part was left unsaid, yet the fallen angel understood what the kid was going to say. Cat-like eyes fixed on the wall in front of him with insensitiveness, as a strand of golden hair being twirled around a delicate finger.

"You're a smart kid…" The words finally left his mouth. "All of you Niwas…"

Ruby orbs stared at him, showing stream of emotions, but not happiness. _All of us? What does he mean?_

"I'll go."

"Real… really?" The small boy almost jumped off his seat, his face brightened. "Then I'll go with yo…"

"No. You stay here." It was a clear order.

"But…"

"Satoshi-sama will stay home with you."

**What?**

**You heard me.**

The fallen angel stood up, walking towards Kousuke. "Can you do that? Separate us for a short period of time?"

"I think we can manage…" The taller man replied uncertainly. "But it will take one-third of your power, I'm afraid…"

"What else?"

"And you need to use two objects as mediators. You keep one, give one to Hikari. That way you two will be able to merge again, and a necessary amount of energy will be transfered to you when you need."

"I understand."

**I hadn't agreed yet.**

**Oh, but you will, master. You'll be happy without me for a while.**

**Why not let me go with you?**

It did surprise him a bit that the kid actually cared, but he just shook his head and smirked.

**It's raining, Satoshi-sama.**

**So what?**

**Kids shouldn't go playing in the rain.**

**Are you calling me a **_**kid**_**?**

**That's what you are.**

Before the Commander finished his preparation to yell incomprehendible sentences into Krad's ears, the angel had blocked out his host. He then turned to Kousuke.

"Can we start now?"

"I guess…"

The hunter nodded. The taller man gave him a funny look.

"What?"

"You didn't let my son go… Because you know Hikari would go as well?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you hate the Niwas so much?" A thrown-back question.

"I hate everyone."

"You didn't show your hatred towards me."

Krad didn't respond. He frowned a little when Kousuke smiled and patted his head. _Damn parents… Always think they know everything…_

* * *

"He's coming…"

The icy cold in deep black pool faded into a weak sign of excitement. _Come to me… Little bird… Come to me…_

* * *

Krad retracted his wings. The used-to-be solid ground melted under his feet, creating sickening sound of mud licking over leather. His shirt sucked tightly onto his slender body frame, getting heavy due to the added weight of water. A strand of hair slid across his beautiful face, before being brushed away.

_This is where that boy talked about, ain't it?_

The hunter cast a look over with his usual caution. It was such an old building, with a decayed appearance as if it would fall down whenever it wanted to. The church drowned itself in a sorrowful grey color, perhaps because of the natural stones which had been used to form the whole place. Or perhaps that was just the depressing facade of time.

Either way, the blond couldn't care less.

He eyed the wooden door warily, then raised his arm to give it a light push. The door creaked open, creepily inviting him to take a step in.

And he saw what he needed.

Dark was sitting cross-legged on the dusty floor, an I-am-freaking-bored tainted his feature. _That stupid idiot… _The fallen angel sighed. He had noted a strange circle being drawn around the thief, which of course, prevented him from moving any further.

"Useless, aren't we?"

Amethyst eyes landed on him. The purple-haired man's jaw dropped open, then he suddenly realised that it was such an uncool reaction to show his counterpart, so he shut it close again. "Krad?"

"I believe that's my name."

"What're you doing here?"

"Me? I was kidnapped here, I guess." Watching the thief getting his shit annoyed out of him was as interesting as watching Satoshi-sama's childish dreams about the wing master.

"So it was you he was talking about…"

"Who's he?"

"I am."

Krad found himself being hugged from behind. But he didn't bother to turn around.

"Who are you?"

"You're still so calm… And beautiful…" Cold fingers caressed his cheek, as warm breath swept over his skin. "After all those years…"

"So we know each other… Good to hear…"

Krad pushed his elbow backwards all of a sudden, aiming for the rude bastard's stomach. He felt the stranger's smirk rather than seeing it, before the man grabbed his shoulders and drew their face close.

He gasped.

_This is not fucking happening…_

"Sei… sama?"

* * *

If Dark could understand anything, it'd probably be named 'nothing'. _Sei-sama? Who the hell is Sei-sama? _He knew the blond wouldn't honor the title of 'sama' to just his hosts… But Satoshi was his current host, right? Then why did Krad call that man 'Sei-sama'?

Why did the hunter seemed… hurt?

The thief shifted uncomfortably in his invisible cage. For some reasons, he just _didn't _want to see that expression on the fallen angel. It was odd, considering he hated his other half with all his guts, and the blond had nearly killed him a night ago. Yet, seeing Krad in such pain was sending an extremely awful feeling down the bottom of his stomach.

_Crap… There has to be a way to break this spell…_

"So you remember me…"

The purple-haired man perked his head up.

"You're… alive…"

The fallen angel reached out a hand, touching the taller man's face in disbelief. The raven relaxed slightly when those delicate fingers ran along his pale skin. Krad covered his mouth as if to suppress a gasp he was about to emit. "I…"

And he wrapped his hand around the black-haired man's neck.

Out of the blue.

"I'll kill you, you fucking IMPOSTER!"

The blond shouted, slamming the other unceremoniously against the floor. The stranger was caught off guard. He winced when his back hit the cold stone.

"How dare you…" Krad spoke through his gritted teeth, his face twisted with anger. "… How dare you face me with that appearance…"

The man's lips trembled. Not with fear. But with _amusement_.

"Why? Because it reminds you of _something_?"

"Shut up."

_Pitter patter, pitter patter…_

"Because you killed your dearest Sei-sama… You killed _me_."

"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" A punch was thrown straight on his face.

The stranger was unfazed. He calmly lifted his head up, inching face close to the shorter man's, breathing out. "… And I'm here for revenge, little angel…"

Lightning cut straight through the sky.

The rain tapped madly against windows.

.

.

_Pitter patter, pitter patter_

_And he jumped off the cliff._

_._

_._

"Shut up…"

The hunter's hands flew up to cover his ears. Golden color quickly hid behind shut eyelids. Black pupils gazed at the beautiful angel, contented.

"Hush… Don't suffer yet… Not before I kill you…" With a gentle move, he picked Krad's cross off the hunter's hair, pressing his lips against it. "Then you'll be mine…"

_Forever._

"Excuse me… But I don't think I'll support that…"

Two black feathers flew at him. The raven caught them within half a second, jerking back a little from the sudden force.

"You…" He hissed. "I locked you in!"

"People don't call me the Phantom thief for favor, neh?" Said the thief arrogantly. Energy started to gather in his palm. _Good thing my wounds are starting to heal…_ "Now if you don't mind, get away from him. It's my job to kill him ya know?"

Paused. Then a smirk.

"I thought you hated him?"

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Dark rolled his eyes. "It's _my _job to kill him… to seal him… whatever. Just drag your butt out of this, got it?"

"Can't promise you that… for now…" The stranger shook his head. He planted a ghostly kiss on golden strands. Krad flinched. "I'll be back for you… little bird… Ain't it exciting?"

Dark blinked when the man vanished. _What the hell is he? Certainly not human…_

But that, was not his problem right now. The purple-haired man rushed towards his other half. He kneeled down next to the hunter, shaking him gently. "Krad… It's over… Open your eyes…"

"Shut up…"

"My, is the Almighty hunter _scared_?"

The thief taunted, hoping for some reactions, but none occurred. Golden orbs simply set on him. Empty.

"Go to Satoshi-sama's place... Niwa's waiting for you there." It took the blond a while to open his mouth.

"What about you?"

"Just leave me here."

Winced.

"No can do, Kraddie. You're not in good condition and we both know that. I'll carry you home even if it's the last thing I manage."

Okay, weird. He _insisted _on walking Krad home?

"Look, I don't need your…"

The fallen angel weren't able to finish his sentence. He collapsed on Dark's arms, unconscious.

* * *

_I hate school. Don't ask me why. And believe me, I just hate it._

**Crizzy-chan: **Can't tell you 'about the guy's identity right now… But I really want to know what your 'another supposition' is. Wait till chapter 4 and tell me if it's right, 'kay?

**Stormshadow13: **Yeah, agree. I actually really like moments between Krad and Satoshi (but not love moments, thank you…). Krad's possessiveness towards his host is one of many reasons why I like him. Weird, no?

**Frozen sactuary: **Yes. Krad could kill Daisuke. Or I could… But I chose not to. 'Cause Satoshi will murder me if I did XD…

**Suishou Haruka: **Daisuke didn't have to say too much to Krad, neh? Because, like I said… All Niwas are smart…

**Domini-chan: **That dark-haired ponytail guy is really tough in bed… Trust me XD. Just kidding (grin). Hope you'll update your story soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter VI**

Daisuke woke up to the strange sound next to him. Rubbing his eyes sleepily, the red head cast a sidelong glance only to find Satoshi sitting there, sapphire eyes glued to his laptop. The blunette's indifferent mask was still on duty, but the way his fingers hitting down the keyboard clearly showed that the kid was somewhat irritated.

Why, of course Daisuke could tell.

"Hiwatari-kun?"

The Commander stopped abruptly, startled a bit. "Sorry Niwa, did I wake you?"

"Nah, my brain rested enough." The wing master smiled. "Where's my father?"

"He went home. Needed to inform your mother about your condition."

"Ah… right… She'll probably get mad when she sees my face again…"

Satoshi threw him a questioning look, but said nothing. The Hikari put his laptop aside, slowly stood up. Shoving one hand on his pocket, the blunette used his other one to gesture towards the kitchen.

"You want something to eat?"

"Coffee's okay."

A nod, before the young genius disappeared from his sight. The red head slid on his slippers, shuddering due to the night cold. Ruby eyes found the window for the third time that day, worry tainting fire pool to a darker shade of red. He wanted nothing more than to see the cocky smile of Dark again, to know that the thief was still alive and well…

An involuntarily sign escaped his lips.

"Here's your coffee, Niwa."

A low voice dragged the red head out of his thought, as the coffee smell filled his nostril. The Commander calmly sat down next to his best friend, preparing to return to his previous work.

"Aren't you worried, Hiwatari-kun?"

"No." A quick answer. Too quick.

"Don't bottle up your feeling." The Niwa tug at his sleeve, forcing Satoshi to look at his face. "I know you care for Krad."

"I don't." Was the harsh reply. "Who would care for a bastard like him?"

"You would."

Urgh. Sometimes he wished Daisuke didn't understand him so well.

"It was his fault. He never listens to me." Now he felt like a child throwing tantrum all over the place. _Damn you, Niwa._

"Admit it. You're worried."

The wing master snickered, despite his current moody state. Only Satoshi could make him brighten up that way… The small boy suddenly had the urge to wrap his arms around the icy Commander. And he did.

"Niwa…!?"

"No need to hide your feelings from me…"

Satoshi felt relaxed. _So warm… _He wanted to stay in this embrace for…

"Er… Did I miss something?"

… ever. Damn that thief!

"Dark! You're back!"

Daisuke shouted happily, nearly jumping out of his seat. Satoshi just grunted and threw a black look at his intruder. But his fury was immediately swept away when he saw Krad lying motionlessly on the purple-haired man's arms.

"What… how… he…"

"I'll explain later. Where's the bedroom?"

* * *

Dark put his counterpart on the Commander's bed, pulling up the blanket, covering the blond carefully. He had even used his own energy to dry up the seraph, not wanting the shorter man to catch some stupid human cold – if that was even possible. Satoshi pressed his back against the wall, quietly watching the whole process. His deep blue orbs darkened by nothing but worry and confusion. What could possibly happen to his curse? Krad was invincible in strength as well as in magic. So why the hell was he lying there, unmoved?

Just like his mother when she…

The Hikari shook his head. Now wasn't the time.

"Dark… What's wrong with him?" Asked Daisuke, with a tone of concern. "Is he hurt?"

"No… not physically…"

"What do you mean not _physically_?" The blunette glared at the thief. "Did you do anything to him?"

"Excuse me? Isn't _he_ the one who always does _something_ to me?" Dark glared back, but his feature quickly softened when he noticed the kid's worried expression. "Sorry kid, didn't mean to snap at you…"

"It's alright. Just… tell me what happened."

"Answer me first" The purple-haired man sat down next to Krad as he crossed his arms. "Do you know anyone named Sei?"

"Sei? Sei what?"

"Try Sei Hikari."

The blunette thought for a moment. "Never heard of that name. But why do you ask?"

Dark sighed. Amethyst eyes glanced at the hunter for a second, before he slowly closed them and retold the whole story.

"… And he called that guy 'Sei-sama', so I guess 'Sei' is somewhat involved with the Hikaris."

"I remember every document about my clan… No 'Sei Hikari' mentioned…"

Satoshi was cut off as the door lead to the balcony flung open. The thief sprung to his feet, instantly set himself on his fighting stance. The guest stayed in his position for a while, as if considering whether he should come in or not. A good period of five seconds passed, and option number one was chosen. The guy stepped in.

"Just what do you think you're doing? New way of greeting?" Argentine raised his eyebrow in a you-are-all-nuts-and-I-knew-it manner. "I'm impressed."

The purple-haired man dropped his hands to his sides, half relieved, half annoyed.

"Like you're the one to talk. Sneaking in people's houses isn't nice."

"Like you're the one to talk, _thief_." The brunette rolled his eyes. "Emiko send me here to see if you're back. Seems like I've got my answer…" He eyed Dark from tip to toe. "How come you have your own body anyway?"

"None of your business." Dark waved his hand dismissively. "Go home to your Towa-chan."

"Urusai." The boy blushed, somehow finding a way to do it quite calmly.

"Oh yeah, I know just exactly how Emiko force you to run errands for her."

"Well at least I don't need my _wife_ to go and rescue me." Was the retort.

"Who are you talking about?"

Scoffed. "Krad-sama of course."

Silence.

"He's not my wife."

"Whatever you say?"

It appeared that people had developed a passion for smirking recently. _And it rubs off on artworks… _Dark cursed inwardly, trying to come up with a plan of murdering the chestnut-haired brat without leaving too much evidence. He'd been kind of wondering why Argentine always showed his respect to Krad, but never to him. Both of them were basically the one and only Kokuyoku damn it!

"Sorry to interrupt, but will you two stop arguing for a minute?" Daisuke cleared his throat. "Krad-san needs to rest."

The brunette turned to him, his bickering with Dark forgotten. "What's wrong with Krad-sama?"

His question didn't went directly to anyone, and the brunette didn't need his answer either. He walked past the Niwa, approaching the pale figure lying on Satoshi's bed. The usual sarcasm was soon immerged by an icy look, as he reappeared in front of the thief and snatched him by the collar.

"What did you do to him, you bastard?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Then why is he like that?"

"Dark has nothing to do with this, Argentine." It was Satoshi's turn to speak up.

The tan boy looked at him. "Who was it, Satoshi-sama?"

"I don't know." Replied the blunette in honesty. "But I believe Krad had called him 'Sei-sama'. Do you happen to know anyone named Sei Hikari?"

Argentine froze, before quickly pulling himself together. He loosened his grip on the purple-haired man and shrugged. "I'm afraid I don't, Satoshi-sama."

The Commander was no fool. He, as well as the other two, did took notice of the artwork's reaction. And like hell would he let Argentine went on with his lies. "Are you sure? He had black eyes and black ponytail."

"Never seen him around." The brunette reassured his answer, brown hair waving lightly as he shook his head.

Dark smacked the boy on the back of the head. He was getting impatient.

"If I say he almost killed your Krad-sama, will your brain be kind enough to function properly?"

And that was all it took.

"You liar."

"Did you listen to Creepy boy? Krad is like this because of that Sei guy."

"But that's impossible!"

"Well we never know." Dark smirked. _Prey caught. _"I need you to tell me about 'Sei Hikari' first."

Argentine hated it with a damn passion when he felt helpless. He saw the bait, but he could not resist it. And it was not like he _would _resist it when it came to the fallen angel. _Forgive me this once, Krad-sama… _Letting out a small yet frustrated grunt, the brown-eyed boy crossed his arms and glared at the thief.

"Fine. I'll tell you. But not here."

"Mind if we use the living room for a while, Creep?" Asked the purple-haired man, pouting when Daisuke stomped on his foot in a huff.

"Do whatever you want."

They went downstairs. The brunette comforted himself with the place next to Satoshi on the sofa. Feeling all the looks the others were throwing at him, the artwork grudgingly started. "I don't know where to begin this…"

"How you and Krad know him, perhaps?" Daisuke suggested kindly.

"Right." Argentine inhaled deeply, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Sei Hikari was the one who created me… And also was Krad-sama's seventh host."

* * *

_He felt it again. The empty feeling when he was pulled away from the warm embrace of the Blackwings just never changed, through days, through months, through centuries. It was always the same hollowness, not just feeling, but had become a __**sensation**__. The kind of sensation he refused to take, but to no avail._

_Not the first time in his life, the prideful hunter admitted his weakness. He was scared._

_Scared to see light._

"_Who are you?"_

_The fourteen-year-old kids observed him with curiosity, the starless night reflexed perfectly in his orbs. In the total darkness of human mind, that exquisite shade of black seemed to be the only light the angel acknowledged – not the fearful light he'd tried at all costs to avoid, but the light which was just as warm as the Kokuyoku._

"_I'd be honored to have you call me Krad." He bowed to the kid with his usual formality. "The curse of the Hikaris."_

_That was it. Simple. The child would hate him from now on, to the last day of his existence. Painful, but true._

"_Beautiful." The boy murmured in awe. "You're mine?"_

_He didn't expect it._

"When I first met him, Krad-sama was cold. So cold to approach that I had even developed hatred towards him." Said the tan boy shamefully. "But Sei-sama was a different matter. He knew how to talk to him, and even to make him smile…"

**Krad, did you see that?**

**See what, Sei-sama?**

**The firework!**

**What's so exciting about firework? You are turning twenty…**

**I just thought you'd love to see it…**

_Krad threw his host an odd look. Sei Hikari was surely the oddest Hikari he had ever seen… The hunter tried to hide the smile that threatened to break on his face. Unsuccessfully._

**Thank you, Sei-sama.**

**You're welcome.**

"At times I even thought those two had fallen in love, but it turned out differently. You've never seen 'Sei Hikari' on the clan tree, haven't you, Satoshi-sama?"

"No, I haven't." The blunette agreed.

"Sei-sama had been crossed out by his own father. Because he did what he shouldn't have. He felt for Yura Niwa."

"Yura Niwa?"

"Yura was a she, thief. The reason for your absence at that generation."

"Oh…"

_They had first met in a dance._

_Krad eyed the red-haired girl cautiously. She wasn't too beautiful for one to resist, but still had something hidden inside her. Cool. Silky._

_Uncomfortable._

"_My pleasure to meet you, Hikari-san."_

"_Call me Sei." His host smiled, kissing the back of her hand. "May I be honored with your name?"_

"_Yura. Yura Niwa." The girl smiled back._

**Sei-sama… She's a Niwa.**

**You have problems with the Niwas?**

_The fallen angel thought for a moment. He didn't hold any grudge against the Niwa clan, or against Dark. It was always his tamers who forced him to fight, in a cruel way he didn't want to remember… Sei had no intention to do that. _

**I don't. It's just… You're a Hikari.**

**I get it, I get it. Just keep this a secret between us, will you? But we still can tell Argentine…**

**My pleasure.**

_The hunter responded, ignoring the ache thumping in his chest._

"Since then, Sei-sama and Yura had started to date each other. But things didn't went smoothly as they seemed… You all know the Hikaris had many enemies that time, so it was sort of normal for them to be attacked…"

**Krad, be careful! **

**I know.**

_The seraph spun around, just in time to block the attack. The guy was dressed all in black, a mask covering his feature. He had a small body frame, but obviously wasn't weak. On the contrary, the stranger was pretty flexible, and a tough opponent in physical strength. He could easily beat up any normal human._

_Unfortunately for him, Krad was no normal human._

_An energy ball hit the attacker's chest, knocking him to the ground. The hunter landed ten steps away from him, a smirk crawled up to his face. _

**Thank you. That was a close one.**

**It is my duty to protect you, master.**

_The man's mask suddenly felt off. Krad froze._

_It was no other than Niwa Yura._

**Sei-sama, that's…**

**Krad, switch with me.**

**But… **

**Switch with me, now.**

_Golden hair reluctantly shortened, as night color replaced cat-like eyes. Sei watched the red-haired girl unstably stand up, his face twisted with pain._

"_Yura…"_

"_So you've finally realized…" The girl chuckled, throwing him a sarcastic look. "Took you too long…"_

"_Why?" _

"_Why? Why what? Why I want to kill you?" The chuckling bled into a bitter laugh. "It's simple, Hikari. I'm a Niwa. A woman. A female. I don't have the Phantom thief inside me… The only way for father to acknowledge me, is to kill you."_

_She held up her sword once again, pointing at the black-haired man. "You think I love you for real? Too naïve… I just wanted to see you breathe your last breath…"_

_Krad clenched his fists. _**Let me handle her, Sei-sama.**

**No. I'm sorry.**

_Uncomfortable. Worry. _**Sorry for what?**

"_You want my life? Then take it."_

_Yura stared at him in disbelief. Inside his mind, the hunter was doing the same. Sei ignored them both, his arms spread widely. _

"_Why do you do that?"_

"_Because that's what you want."_

**Sei-sama! **

**I've apologized, have I not?**

**You're an idiot! **A complete idiot… Do you ever care about how _I_ feel?

**You know me too well…**

_The Niwa slowly raised her weapon, only to dropped it with a cold sound. She gasped, reaching for her abdomen – where another sword had stabbed through, sharply and unceremoniously. Blood trickled down her lips, before she completely collapsed._

_Sei didn't move. Couldn't move. "Father…"_

"_Filthy bitch… Thinks she can use my son…" The older Hikari spared the figure under his feet a disgusted expression. "… And you" He threw his son a sour look. "You've disappointed me, Sei Hikari. Go back to your room immediately, until I send for you."_

_The black-haired man stared soullessly at his love. His used-to-be love._

"_Yes, father…" He replied monotonously._

**Master…**

**Come on, Krad. You wanna finish the book we've left?**

_Uncomfortable. Worry. __**Fear**__._

**Why're you so quiet? Ah, do you think I look good in white? Have a date with Yura tomorrow…**

_It began to rain._

Satoshi covered his mouth. He wanted to throw up.

"Sei-sama hadn't been able to stand such pain. He went mad." Argentine paused, as if trying to erase those dark memories. "And then…"

"Then what?" Asked Dark, breaking his own silence. He was strangely calm.

"… _He committed suicide."_

* * *

_This chapter mainly focuses on Krad and Sei's past. Some of you might find it boring, okay… Okay, so all of you do, but I just really need this chapter before going to chapter 5. You are free to throw eggs and tomatoes and even your shoes at me, I've got no problem with that. And I haven't forgotten that my Kraddie was said to have killed his Sei-sama. That's right, don't question my logic… It doesn't even exist XD…_

_Really need to work more on SatoDai… And Argentine… They're cute…_

**Frozen Sanctuary: **Feel happy when I read your review… You really like Krad don't you? Me too… He's just like some kind of drug… _"Damn parents… Always think they know everything…" _I like that line, yes, though it came quite unexpectedly during the writing process…

**Domini-chan: **The other way around! Cats' eyes always remind me of my Krad-chan… So beautiful… And yes, I kinda seduced that black-haired guy (whistle). About your fic, I really think you should do individual chapters… so I can review XD…

**Snowy Summer: **You've got your answer on this chapter! And I have a question… Have you ever been in my mind? 'Cause you read it so well… I'm scared… Also, Dark's in denial XD, right…

**Stormshadow13: **You wanna see their history? I think I got that in my fourth chapter… But it wasn't quite a happy one... (sign). I'm so cruel… **"And stupid" "Shut up, thief."**

**23: **No he doesn't. More like… I WANT THAT! Alright… I've finally gone insane… **"Finally?" "I told you to shut up." **

**Sinful ang3l: **I've updated! Hope you like it! Really hope so…

**Crizzy-chan: **No no no no, Krad doesn't have a lover! Oops, I mean he does, but that's Dark… Stop smirking like that, thief… Now, may I ask, is your supposition completely right?

**SeptemberStorm: **I love a vulnerable Krad too… But I love the angsty Krad even more… Scratch that, I just love him, that's it. (nod, nod).


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter V**

_Ring around the roses_

_Pockets full of posies…_

_._

_._

He would appreciate it more if he was surrounded by darkness.

However, there was white. Nothing _but _white. No dirty color of the ground he was used to stepping on, nor was there a murky, dull sky to be reflexed on water surface. Plain white.

Plain loneliness.

The fallen angel embraced himself. Golden strands spilt over his shoulders, desiring to be drown under the atmosphere where no sound could reach.

"_Ring around a roses_

_Pockets full of posie…"_

A small, sweet voice kissed his ears, making him turn around.

"Sei-sama?"

The fourteen-year-old boy perked his head up, before cocking it to the side. Same perfect starless night, same curiosity as the very first time they met… The boy childishly hopped towards him, showing no sign of recognition. Krad quietly watch those lips part and reunite, as the haunting notes hang in the air.

"… _Ashes to ashes…"_

A small hand tugged at his arm. Black orbs pinned at him.

"Beautiful…" Sei murmured in awe.

Yes. It was just like their first meet.

"You are mine."

Cat-like eyes widened, realizing that the supposed-to-be question was a question no more. The child's innocent smile darkened.

"You are mine…" He repeated, laughing slightly.

The solid white under Sei's feet shattered. He closed his eyes, releasing the hunter's arm and leaned himself backwards.

"… _We all fall down." _

* * *

Krad's eyes flicked open.

The hunter sat up, feeling the back of his shirt sticky and wet due to his own sweat. It took him over a minute to register that he was in Satoshi's apartment. Dark must have brought him here, that stupid of a thief…

He hadn't screamed aloud, had he? No, he hadn't. _No scream, no cry, or you'll be punished… _It was something he had learnt through generations before Sei-sama, something that would etch forever into his skull, something that had become a habit… He had practically forgotten _how_ to orally show his fear.

He stuck a hand on his hair, chuckling softly.

The sickening moonlight continued bleeding through the windows, hesitantly crawling near, but never touching him. Which was good. Light could burn…

_- Flashback -_

_He stood on the edge of the cliff. The wind licked his skin, whispering a lullaby. Pieces of rocks cracked under his shoes, then rolled down, vanishing into the depth beneath. _

_The rain started pouring. _

_Pitter patter, pitter patter.._

… _And he jumped off._

_- End flashback -_

The blond clutched his shoulders, restraining the nausea that was rising to his throat. Got to go to the bathroom… Couldn't puck here on his host's bed…

Damn it. He felt like human.

Sliding his hands under the running tap, Krad wet his face with cold water. His reflection on the mirror peered at him as he looked up, before being replaced by a black-haired man whom he had known better than anyone. The angel blinked and took a step back. The illusion disappeared.

_Live for me, will you?_

"Enough…"

His fist hit the glass.

* * *

"Wait a minute. He killed himself, you say?"

"Yes." Argentine nodded. "He jumped down from a sea cliff. When we found him the next day, it had been too late."

Dark knitted his eyebrows. Something wasn't right here. _Because you killed your dearest Sei-sama… You killed me… _Those were exactly what had left that guy's mouth. Unless his brain had decided to retire sooner than it should, which was impossible. Then how could Krad be the one to have killed Sei when the man had ended his life himself?

His eardrums caught noises of shattering glass. The thief snapped back to reality in a second. "What was that?"

"Krad." Satoshi mumbled, standing up. He heard that as well. "Upstairs."

"That Sei guy…!?"

"Don't know. We have to go up there."

Daisuke pushed himself off the sofa, but an arm held him back. The brunette squeezed his left shoulder lightly, indicating that he wanted him to stay.

"What's wrong, Argentine-kun?"

"Not you, Daisuke. You're a Niwa. Krad-sama will kill you the moment he sees your face."

"But…"

"He's right, Niwa-kun. You should go home."

"You should go to, Creepy boy."

The blunette roughly turned his head to the purple-haired man. He couldn't believe in his ears. What the hell was that thief demanding anyway? "Excuse me, but I _am_ home."

"Aren't you supposed to be a genius? I mean you should go with Dai-chan. You don't have Krad inside you now, so you'll be pretty useless." Dark ignored the kid's burning glare on his back. "You walk them home, Argentine. Make sure they won't try to come back any time soon."

Obviously the artwork wanted to stay, but he didn't protest. He could no way compare to Krad and Dark in strength. "Thief…"

"What?"

"Don't hurt him."

"You think I can?"

The thief just grinned his usual mischievous grin, before he climbed up the steps and disappeared.

* * *

Not good. He had broken the mirror. Satoshi-sama's mirror. The kid would be fussing over this for a while when he found out…

… Not good.

Krad knelt down, picking up a piece of the broken object. He winced as the sharp edge cut deep into his finger, drawing blood. The hunter stared at the crimson liquid with fascination, lips curving slightly.

Red.

Pain.

Contentment.

How could he _not_ remember? The fastest way to kill the pain, is to add a little more pain… The blond wrapped his hands around the piece, his flesh grinded against glass. His palms seemed to be burning up, but only for a short time, then the sensation slowly converted to pleasure.

Red.

Pain.

Contentment.

Right… That, was what he was looking for… Just for the moment. The next morning, he would be hiding safely in his calm and cold shell again, and surely, Satoshi wouldn't care enough to ask. The kid would do no such thing as ditching his precious time for his curse, especially when he had Niwa to take care of.

Still, his host wouldn't be so pleased with this broken mirror…

The angel slid down to the tiled floor, idly watching red currents trailing down his wrists. _Beautiful… _

"I know you're homicidal, but how come you're suicidal as well?"

If Krad was - by any means - startled by the voice, he wouldn't show it on his face. Delicate fingers kept tracing along the new cuts, nonchalantly, as if he didn't even notice Dark was standing beside him.

"It takes a genius to know everything, Mousy."

The flat tone brought a frown to the thief's face. It was relieving to know his counterpart was still safe and sound, but the purple-haired man hadn't expected to see Krad in such state. There he was, sitting on the floor, both hands badly injured, yet the blond acted like _nothing_ had happened. How did he even _manage_ to be so cold? And at the same time, so vulnerable…

So lonely.

He hated seeing the vulnerable Krad. It made his heart ache.

Wait... Why did _that _make his heart _ache_? He hated Krad. He really did.

"Go."

"Huh…?" Dark blinked.

"Go, before I change my mind and kill you."

The hunter replied simply, slicing his palm once more, his face void of emotions. Before Dark could understand what he was doing, he had grabbed the shorter man's wrist, causing him to drop the mirror piece.

"What now?" Asked the angel, annoyed.

"Stop that."

"Don't worry, it won't do any harm to Satoshi-sama." A pause. "We're not sharing body anyway."

Dark sighed exasperatedly. Should he knock some sense into that guy?

"It's not about Satoshi. It's about you."

"What's about me?"

"What's about you? You fainted on me, you hurt yourself in front of me, and now you ask "what's about me"? And I thought you weren't an idiot!"

"Quit playing moral game, thief. Since when do you care? You hate me." The fallen angel scoffed. "Now if you don't mind, get out and leave me alo…"

Krad shut up when he found himself being lifted off the ground. _Bridal style._

He was stunned. Stunned. As in s. t. u. n. n. e. d.

"Put me down."

"Dream on."

"I'll kill you."

"With those hands? Go ahead, princess."

The blond twitched. Violently. _Princess? That moron called me a princess… _The hunter threw a darker-than-night look at his counterpart, who in turn smirked arrogantly _as if _he had completely _and_ utterly won the battle. Which he probably had. Krad growled, giving up for the time being. Perhaps the thief had bang his head on something solid. And that explained the change in attitude.

Dark let out a small breath he didn't know he was holding, as the hunter grew quiet in his arms instead of shoving energy balls along with feathers on his face. _That _would be painful… not to mention fatal… The purple-haired man made his way out of the bathroom and carefully put the shorter man on the bed.

"Thank you. Now get out of my sight."

_Still a bastard… _"Where's the first-aid kit?"

"How should I know?"

He took back what he'd just said. Krad wasn't a bastard. He was a _super _bastard.

"Fine. Wait here."

The hunter raised an elegant eyebrow as his other half rummaged around in the bedroom. A moment later, Dark came back to his side with a small box. The thief sat down next to him and, without any word, started cleaning his wounds with some peroxide.

"If it hurts, tell me."

Golden orbs just wandered away.

The clock ticked.

The purple-haired man tried to focus on his job. The atmosphere kept getting thicker and thicker, almost suffocating. He would be kicked out of his sanity very soon at this rate. Bloodily beautiful future…

_Just bear with it. Bear with it. _

The clock ticked.

_Should I throw that damn clock away?_

The clock ticked.

_That's it. _"Say something, will you?"

"Go away."

"Something else, please."

"Fuck off."

Dark beat his lips, resisting the urge to beat the day light out of the other man. The first time in his life he was trying to actually _care_, and what did he get? 'Fuck off'!? _How nice…_ The thief rubbed his throbbing temples and snatched a roll of bandages, before wrapping them around Krad's hands, covering those ugly cut.

"They'll heal up soon."

The blond spoke up, maybe just conversationally, but he spoke up nonetheless.

"Doesn't mean they don't hurt."

"They don't."

Amethyst liquid dropped on him. "Of course they do."

"I've done this tons of times before." The hunter smiled emotionlessly. He withdrew his now bandaged hands, a finger drawing several lines which cut across his left wrist. "Right there… and there… Yet they left no scar... Didn't hurt my tamer either… Perfect, no?"

_Perfect, my ass. Did your Sei-sama mean __**that**__ much to you?_

"How did you know about Sei-sama?"

Dark froze. Shit. He had unconsciously voiced out his thought.

The blond observed his prey coldly. So the thief had known about his past… And he was pitying him, huh? Was he that pathetic? Oh, but of course, he was.

"It wasn't your fault, you know…"

"How can you be so sure?" Came out the smooth question.

"Sei killed himself, didn't he? You couldn't do anything about it."

Krad let out a deep laugh, leaning himself forwards and looked into violet eyes. "My… You don't know just how wrong you are, little Mousy…" He gently caressed the taller man's cheek. "… But don't worry, I still love you…"

The thief quickly wrenched the pale hand off his face, slightly annoyed. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it so obvious? Sei-sama had never committed suicide…" A maniac glint crossed golden pool. "I killed him."

* * *

_He stood on the edge of the cliff. The wind licked his skin, whispering a lullaby. Pieces of rocks cracked under his shoes, then rolled down, vanishing into the depth beneath. _

"_Ring around the roses_

_Pockets full of posie…"_

_The tiny voice happily hummed inside his head. The song echoed in his ears, digging into his brain, rotting his nerves. Krad shivered a bit. _

_He could stand this no more._

_And again, if he died… if __**they**__ died before Sei-sama's time was over, he could be together with his host for eternity... It wasn't like his tamer understood what was happening, so it'd be less painful for him…_

_Then he could be with Sei-sama. Forever._

_The rain started pouring. _

_Pitter patter, pitter patter.._

… _And he jumped off._

* * *

"I should have died with him… be with him…" The laugh died down to a bitter whisper. "But he pushed me in. He just had to gain his sanity at that moment…"

_Live for me, will you?_

The nausea came again.

"Selfish, am I not? Desire something that wasn't mine from the beginning…"

Chuckled.

"You're right about me after all, thief… A heartless _demon_…"

The hunter tensed when arms suddenly wrapped around him. What went wrong with that thief today? He was supposed to back miles away from him, not freaking _hugging_ him!

"I'm sorry…" Dark murmured.

"For what?"

For what? Yes, why was he apologizing? It just came unexpectedly, instinctively when he looked at his counterpart. Not once had he seen him so hurt and fragile, not once through over forty decades…

_So long, yet I know nothing about you…_

"Sorry… For everything…"

* * *

_My apologies… heh heh… When I re-read this chapter, I realized that 'he' in 'he jumped off the cliff' was basically Krad… In the first chapter I told you otherwise… So you have my apologies for that, please don't sue... My stupidity just never ceases to amaze me I guess… Anyway, I'm gonna face my final exams soon, so wait until I've finished all of them, then you can murder me if you want._

**Stormshadow13: **I want to hug you to death, you know? 'Cause you said you love Krad! (go hug her to death). And how is your clock now? Last time I put mine on the bottom of my wardrobe, and the next morning it woke the entire house up…

**Sinful ang3l: **Cliffhangers have their advantage you know? I could create one… And push Niwa Yura off of it XD…

**Snowy Summer: **Your answer is somewhere in this chappie (whistle), so I think you'll have to read it to find out (grin).

**Domini-chan: **Aw, you shouldn't say that… God doesn't like me you know, and now he hates me… I'm so hurt XD… But stop with our God. Dark had popped his head out of that stupid closet, you see? I'm considering pushing him back there… so I can have Krad… And how can I put Risa in this story when you've already kidnapped her? Give her back to me so I can start plotting… And I agree with the Krad eyes part… along with the mending-Sei-chan's-heart part…

**Akurei. Tenshi23: **I love you and Mitchan too! We're sounding like sick puppies in love… Well I don't care, I love you anyway XD. You're gonna use guns to kill Risa? My, you're so kind… Torture her first, will you? I don't know why Sei didn't fall for me either… Perhaps because he can't compete with Kraddie XD…

**Crizzy-chan: **You're not right? (sign in relief) And I thought I had to leave this story to you… But don't try to kill yourself, let me do the killing job XD.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter VI**

The night's cold had become bitter. Dark sneezed, rubbing his arms as he allowed himself to mess with Satoshi's warm and soft blanket. Creeps always had what was best in their houses, he thought, gluing his eyes to the closed door that blocked him from the bathroom. Krad had gone in there again, despite the thief's disapproval, reasoning that he had to wash himself from all the sweat and blood. Such a freak, taking a bath when the temperature goes downright low… And what took him so long? The blond had been in there for over an hour. Had it not been for the suicidal mood of the shorter man, Dark would never have to trouble himself with how long his other half wanted to stay in private.

Time trickled by, grinning evilly as it watched the purple-haired man impatiently turn over on the bed. _Damn Krad… Get out there or I'll come in and kick you out._

An hour and five minutes passed. He had cleaned up those broken pieces, right? Not a single one left, right?

An hour and seven minutes passed. So quiet… Meant everything was fine. They _had _to be.

An hour and ten minutes passed. How many ways were there to commit suicide? Drowning oneself in the bathtub was one way…

The creaking sound of the door being opened nearly made Dark jump out of his skin. He felt off the bed, along with the thick and heavy blanket, a hand still clutched tightly on the spot above his heart. Krad gave him an odd look, as if asking what the hell was that kind of reaction about, before starting to dry his own hair with a towel. The blond had put on a white shirt and black pants, which was too big to be properties of the Hikari kid. Seemed like they had once belonged to Kei Hiwatari - that explained why they was slightly over-sized even for the fallen angel. The neck hole was big enough to expose the ivory skin bellow his collarbone, which was soon be concealed from sight as golden sunlight streamed down those slender shoulders. Droplets of remaining water trailed down the hunter's face, adding perfection to his natural angelic appearance.

The thief blushed and turned his face away when he found himself staring shamelessly. Luckily, Krad didn't see the tinge of red crossing his cheeks, since the blond had had his eyes closed, and the room wasn't bright enough. Dark chose to brush off the heat suddenly rising up inside his body, he knew clearly that it was nothing but physical attraction. For Krad himself was the intoxicating side of beauty, which the purple-haired man sometimes had to grudgingly admit.

"Aren't you going home?"

The velvet voice filled the air, blending with a sweet scent of vanilla. Dark never noticed that his enemy smelt like vanilla. It was always blood scent that rushed into his nostril every time they fought.

"No."

"Why?"

"That Sei guy said…"

"He's not Sei-sama."

The purple-haired man didn't miss the anger that crept into the angel's tone. He nodded. "That guy said he'd come back for you… So I…"

Krad calmed down a little. He eyed his black half warily. The thief was worry about him? He couldn't understand. He had almost _murdered _the guy just a couple of nights ago, and now Dark was trying to help him. Either the thief was incredibly stupid, or he had finally lost his mind after all this time.

"I can protect myself."

"I believe that with all my heart."

The kaitou replied sarcastically, pushing himself off the mess of blanket. He walked towards the blond and picked up a bandaged hand, a smirk crawled up to his lips. Krad just glared at him.

"They'll heal up tomorrow."

"Then I'll be your body-guard until then?"

If Krad didn't know any better, he'd think the thief was flirting with him. But since he did know _much_ better, he simply snatched his hand back and sighed.

"You just won't give up, will you?"

A nod.

"Then go back to the Niwa's."

"Didn't I tell you…"

"Let me finish, thief." The hunter smacked him on the back of the head. "Go back to the Niwa's with me."

Confusion was a huge understatement. Didn't the hunter hate the Niwas? Dark knew there was a reason for this hatred, and no way would the blond willingly approach Daisuke's family, if not for killing purpose. But if the angel intended to kill them, why telling him now?

"What for?"

"Not for revenge, if that's what you're thinking."

"Can't tell me?"

"Since when did you need to know everything about me, thief?"

"Since I realized that I know nothing about you."

"About me?" The hunter cocked his head to the side. "I'm Krad, your other half, your enemy since forever, a part of the Kokuyoku, and the curse of the Hikari. What else do you _not_ know?"

"The real you."

Krad looked down at his feet for a moment. He then raised his right arm and stroke the thief's hair.

"Nice one, Mousy."

With that, the blond turned on his heel and headed for the window, leaving behind a speechless Dark. _What does he think I am? A child!? He's shorter than me for God's sake! And just when I'm getting serious!_

"Get back here you idi…"

"Aren't you coming?" Monotonously.

He hated that man. Really.

* * *

Satoshi's eyelids were getting heavy. He had been waiting for three hours at the Niwa mansion, taking only short naps every fifteen minutes. Daisuke had gone back to his dreamy land, head leaned against the blunette's shoulder, making it unable for the Commander to move around, since he didn't want to wake his best friend up. He knew the red head was having a fever, though the Niwa did his best to act normally.

Damn, was it tired to just sit there and keep waiting for God-know-how-long.

"Go to sleep, Sato-chan. I'll wake you up when Dark's back." Emiko poured him another cup of tea and smiled genuinely. She never called him Hikari, or Hiwatari. Just Sato-chan. And the boy didn't mind that. But he would only feel so guilty he couldn't look at her every time Krad hurt Daisuke, or even Dark.

"Arigatou, Niwa-san. But I think I'll wait…"

"You don't hate Krad like you always say…"

The blunette blinked. "I do, Niwa-san."

The woman sat down next to him, observing him in her own cunning way. Satoshi wondered if all the Niwas were like that. Smart and observant.

"I myself had a time of hating the Hikari with all my heart, you know?" The brunette gently brushed over his bang. "But it was before I met you. And before I met him, too. I didn't actually get the chance to face Krad, since I was born at the same generation with your mother. But when I saw that child… I didn't see, no, didn't _feel_ the cruelty inside him. Just… loneliness. All in his eyes…"

The blunette picked up his cup, only to hold it in his hands. He knew Emiko was right. He had seen it too, that night when he was talking to the hunter. He just didn't know what to do about it, so he chose to think of it as hallucination.

"I… can't understand him, Niwa-san. We're different from Daisuke-kun and Dark." The boy added softly. "He doesn't want me to understand him, either."

"How do you know?"

"He never tells me anything."

"Just give him some time…"

They stopped the conversation as the doorknob clicked. Dark popped his head in, surprised to see the two still wide awake.

"Dark!" Emiko scolded. "Do you know what time it is?"

"I don't have my watch here, mind you." Said the thief phlegmatically, tilting his head a little to dodge the woman's slipper. "Now now Emiko-chan, what kind of greeting was that? And I thought you were dead worried about me!"

"I _am_ worried about you, moron."

"Then what's with the slipper… Forget it. We have a guest."

The Niwa stood up immediately when golden strands came into her vision. She didn't have anything against Krad, true, but the hunter wouldn't be here just to pay them a visit. She pulled herself together quickly when honey eyes settled on her. Those pieces of sun held no murderous look.

"Krad…"

The hunter nodded when he heard his tamer.

"So you are here. I was thinking of going to your place."

Kousuke spoke up, startling almost everyone in the room. Daisuke had woken up. Rubbing his eyes confusedly, he turned to Krad, then to his father, who was going downstairs in his usual calm manner.

"You need something?"

"Actually, yes. I need all the information you've got about the Back Hole."

* * *

"_The Black Hole was made during the year 1470, before the appearance of the Kokuyoku. It is known to have power of the Death, for Takeshi Hikari – its creator – made it with the hope of reviving his wife. However, the Black Hole can not bring back the dead, but can only create their versions from a piece of them, the user's blood and his or her deepest desire." _

"A piece of them? You mean a hand or a finger or something?"

Dark frowned in disgust as Kousuke closed the book. The black-haired man shrugged with a 'How should I know?', then focused his attention back on the blond, who hadn't shown any expression during the speech. "That is all we have. If you need more, I'm afraid you'll have to look up in the Hikari's books."

"That's enough." Krad shook his head and stood up. "Guess I found what I need. Thank you for your time."

Someone tugged at his sleeve.

"It has something to do with that guy, doesn't it?"

The hunter groaned inwardly. He crossed his arms, damning whatever force up there who had gifted his host with such a brain. But instead of spilling that onto Satoshi's face, he just moved his head to gesture a yes.

"Tell me."

"Not now, Satoshi-sama."

"Tell me. Now."

The grip on his sleeve tightened. Krad was thrown back by the harsh tone, but being Krad, his face still stayed indifference. "Satoshi-sama…"

"Just tell me."

"Fine." The hunter gave up, annoyed by the kid's persistence. "I think I was the one who created that guy."

"But Krad-san… The book said you need a piece of the dead…" The red head asked hesistantly. "How could you…"

"I didn't bring Sei-sama's finger with me or something, Niwa." The seraph responded, as if reading the small boy's thought. "But I do have a piece of his soul. When our hosts passed away, a part of them still stayed with us. After our fight at the museum that night, the Black Hole must have taken my blood and use this part of soul to create a version of him."

Dark knitted his eyebrows. He had a bad feeling.

"What're you planning to do?"

"Find the artifact then seal him."

"Can't do that."

"Why not?"

"For your information, the Black Hole is at the police head office now."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm a thief." The purple-haired man grinned mischievously. "I also know that Creepy boys can't reach there without permission. Which means, neither can you."

"We'll see about that."

"No, we won't." Satoshi interrupted. "You both know how strong that man is. He was able to pull Dark out of Daisuke's body, means he's not some kind of amateur in magic. You're not doing anything until we find a safer solution."

"We don't have much time, Satoshi-sama."

"What?"

Krad simply held up his hair. His cross was gone.

"He took my cross. The mediator. We won't be able to merge back till I break his neck and get the damn thing back."

The blunette opened his mouth, but words stuck in his throat. He knew what would happen if Krad was detached from him for too long. The angel would be drained out of power.

"Brighten up, Creep. Kraddie will work with me this time."

Krad snapped his head towards the thief. "I never said…"

The last part was left shattered on the floor as the the kaitou grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the living room. Once they were outside, the seraph snatched his arm back, scowling. "What do you want?"

"I want you to stop being so stubborn and let me help you."

"This is my problem."

"Doesn't mean you have to solve it yourself."

"I don't need your pity."

"Fine. I don't have that much pity to spare." Dark captured the shorter man's wrist again. Roughly. "Why do I have to pity you? For this wound? You've given me much worse! I've suffered enough from your sadistic killing hobby, and I. don't. need. to. pity. you, got it?"

"Very well then, just leave me alone." Was the cold statement.

"Why don't you understand? If you don't give a shit about yourself, at least think of the Hikari kid!"

"I do care for him, thief, that's why I'm going to do this on my own."

The hunter began to gather energy in his wounded palm, which only resulted in the thief slamming him to a wall. He shut his eyelids, waiting for a hard punch. None came. Dark did nothing more than putting his hands on both sides of the blond, blocking his way out. Krad protested a little more, before calming down completely, panting.

"Moron."

"Asshole."

"Bastard."

"We both are."

"This is getting ridiculous…"

"Well you started it."

"Thief… Why are you helping me? We are enemies."

The question came out softly, almost too softly to hear. The purple-haired man sighed. One hand still pressed against the wall, he lifted the angel's chin up.

"Didn't I say already? I want to get to know _you_."

Get to know him? _Absurd. _There were many dirty secrets that needed to be revealed… Krad unconsciously clutched his shouders as memories flooded into his brain. The thief narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw the reaction.

"Can you trust me? Just this once?"

Golden eyes bored into amethyst pool.

"You don't know what you've got yourself into."

"Don't we all?" Griiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin.

"What are you grinning about?"

"I don't know?"

"You're weird."

"Why thank you."

"Really weird…"

Dark's heart skipped a beat. Had the blond just… smiled? Not an emotionless smile, not a smirk, but a _real _smile.

And it was breath-taking.

"What? There's something on my face?"

"You smiled."

"Oh…" The smile disappeared. Big mistake. "Sorry."

"No! I mean… you should do it more! Your smile is beautiful!"

_Beautiful!? Where the hell did that come from? _

"Uhm… We should go back inside…"

Krad pushed the taller man off and walked away, a light shade of pink painted his cheeks. _So he had a shy side, huh… _The thief physically slapped himself at the thought. Why should he care? It was Krad who said he loved him, not the other way around. He was a womanizer.

Right.

Yet Dark couldn't help but note again, his counterpart did smell like vanilla…

* * *

"_Start to fall for him? Too bad, thief… He's mine…"_

* * *

_Wow, sorry for the __**too**__ late update, but I was hospitalized T.T. Two days before my final exams. Stop that serves-you-right look, thank you… Also, my brain is still in the process of refunctioning, so I apologize for any grammar mistake on this chapter. If you find mistakes (which will be a lot), tell me, 'kay?_

**Sinful ang3l: **Never mind? What do you mean never mind? _"She means never mind your stupidity, 'cause you're stupid." "Shut up, thief."_

**Frozen Sanctuary: **That thief is still in denial (sign). What an idiot. _"You wrote that, so shut up."_Fine fine, I'll shut up about him being an idiot for now... And, Sei like Krad as a friend, yes, but like as in like-like? I don't know yet…

**Stormshadow13: **I wanna hug Krad too! (hug). Er… Dark is looking, nah, _glaring _at us you know? That's why… just go on hugging our blondie XD! One more thing, I swear that you are not bloody minded, and neither am I (cough, hack, death). (Whisper) How about we go stake Risa on that ant hill ourselves?

P/s: I killed my clock three days ago.

**Crizzy-chan: **Oh my, why do you people keep hugging my Kraddie? Let me hug you XD! Yep, the thief had learnt his lesson for calling my blondie heartless. Serves him right. _"It's not my fault! You're the author!" "Good point there.."_

**Domini-chan: **Make Krad NOT love him? Good idea… Maybe I can wash his brain in the next chapter and make him mine XD. _"You do that, and I kill you." "What? I thought you said you hated him!" "You WROTE those shit!" "My bad…"_

But… What? You're not giving Risa back to me? That's sooooooo mean. How can I play with her now? Alright, I'll just go sit in a corner and watch you mutilatin… er… I mean torturing her. GO KRAD EYES!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter VII**

"I can't believe we're doing this."

"Just suck it up and go."

Dark landed on the floor with a soft thud, hearing Krad doing the same just a second later. With a mixture of amusement and effort to keep his face straight, the thief raised his body up and held out a hand for the fallen angel, who refused to take it and stood up on his own. The purple-haired man just shrugged. He wasn't mad at the impolite behavior - though a small pout could be seen under the light that was flowing down the roof-window they'd just gone through - since he knew his counterpart was born an ego maniac. The decision to temporarily throw away his position of an almighty hunter and break into the police station to get the Black Hole back, however, had done a great job on completely destroying the shorter man's pride. No wonder Krad was in such a grumpy mood, despite the fact that a two-day period had passed since they'd first agreed on co-operation. Satoshi, too, had brooded a lot as to why he, the genius _Commander_, had to stay home like an idiot while letting a _thief _sneak into the police's _head office_.

The velvet night had long ago spread over the sky, wrapping Azumano and its people in a tender embrace. The thief's well-trained ears could distantly caught sounds of the clock tower's bell announcing midnight time, when probably two-third of the town population had drowned themselves in their deep and peaceful sleep. He sure as heck wouldn't know if Kei Hiwatari was one among that majority, but the creepy guy wasn't at his office now anyway. He had left the place since ten o'clock, and that, was all Dark needed.

"Are you going to move, or are you going to stay there?"

"Easy, Kraddie." The thief lazily looked at his watch. "We still have like… five more hours. And we don't have any homicidal blond chasing after our butts."

Smack.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

Krad just ignored him. "Someone's coming."

The purple-haired man stopped in his rubbing head and mumbling about stupid hunters, as a dim shade of light appreared at the hall turn which led to their current spot. He smirked. "That's our little prey. Wait here."

Krad calmly rested his back against the wall as Dark vanished. He started to count backwards. _5… 4…_ _3… 2… 1… _The weak ray of artificial light went out. The thief came back into view, dragging along an unconscious guard, a walkie-talkie in his hand. He gestured to the blond to keep silence when a cracked voice was heard.

"_Tatsuki, report."_

"Fine here."

The thief cleared his throat before speaking into the machine with a voice that was probably not his. The connection was then cut off.

"Now, With, your turn."

The rabbit 'kyuu'ed in acknowledgement. He sniffed the guard carefully before his body began to reshaped. White fur lengthen into spiky brown hair, while his four limbs slowly changed to finger-like and toe-like shapes. The purple-haired man gave his familiar a thumb-up when 'Tatsuki' was finally formed.

"Perfect. Now go down there, and avoid talking at all costs if you don't want to blurt out that 'daisuki' word of yours."

"Daisuki!"

"What did I just tell you…"

With cast a nervous glance at the seraph - who took notice but didn't give a damn - and took the walkie-talkie from his master. He could only pray to God, if there was a God for him, that Krad would be kind enough not to kill the thief when he wasn't on his side.

* * *

Krad watched with mild interest as the kaitou gracefully moved through webs of lasers that was blocking their way to Hiwatari's office. Things was going a little too smoothly, and though it wasn't like he didn't appreaciate his rare luck, it sort of made him wonder. True, he had slapped the idea of sending a note out of Dark's head, and Satoshi-sama had agreed to deal with the camera system, but still? Security at the police station was supposed to be thicker than this, not just some red rays and a tour of duty from an amateur guard.

Besides, he was having a bad feeling. Like having a big rock stuck at the bottom of his stomach.

"…rad…"

"Oi, Kraddie!"

The angelic hunter blinked. The purple-haired man had finished his job with the lasers, and was now waving a hand in front of his face.

"Don't call me that."

"Why? It's cute."

Glared.

"You've been glaring at me for four hundred years. Will you ever get tired of it?"

Dark chuckled out loud when his other half's glare _intensified_, but his laughter was soon replaced by a painful 'ouch' when a pale hand came into contact with the back of his head. _Sheesh, he's no fun… _The thief pouted, eyes followed the shorter man as he stepped towards the closed door which opened to Kei's office. Krad entered the code, and the door clicked.

"What's the code?"

"I won't tell you."

"Meanie."

"Idiot."

"_Having fun, little bird?"_

The blond stiffened. He quickly turned around. Behind him, there was no one else but Dark. The taller man looked at him, confused.

"What?"

"Nothing…"

Amethyst orbs didn't miss the fear crossing the hunter's face, but the thief decided not to ask any further. He followed the shorter man into the grey-painted room, with a few painting to keep it somehow not so far away from the downright lack of liveliness. The long sash windows – probably bullet-proof – had been firmly closed against the outside world, allowing only a certain amount of light in to define the figure of a plain desk with several pieces of unimportant paper scattering on it.

Dark winced when a tension suddenly struck his sense. Even Creepy boy's dull apartment wasn't as creepy as this place… But who knew, maybe Kei was far more of a freak than his adopted son.

Good thing he hadn't merged back with Daisuke yet, or else the red head would by now be yelling in his head for insulting his creepy lover…

The purple-haired man turned to the direction where he could sense magic. His frown immediately converted to contentment. There was the artifact they'd been looking for, placing proudly on red satin cloth, inside a glass case which was attached to a thin pedestal. Walking over with a smile, he cautiously removed the glass case.

"Found ya…"

The blond narrowed his eyes. He found the magic emitting from the jewel somewhat strange. It was weak… and… what was the word again?

Unstable.

_Crap._

"Thief, wait!"

"Wha…"

The necklace glowed. Dark barely had time to bat his eyelids, and the next thing he knew, he was pushed to the floor as his ears went numb due to a big explosion. His brain was now clearly aware of a familiar sticky sensation.

Blood.

Wait… If he was bleeding, why didn't it hurt?

Violet eyes snapped open. And he gasped.

Krad was lying on top of him, the back of his shirt had been torn enough to reveal all the burns that was embroidered on pale skin. His wings were twisted in a strange angle, tainted by the same crimson liquid that was dripping on the kaitou's hands. The blond must have taken that blow all to himself... to save _him._

"Krad?"

No answer. Dark could feel his fear rising, to the point that made him sick to his stomach.

Why?

Why did the hunter risk his life for him?

What if he died?

_What _if he _died_?

"Krad? Krad! Can you hear me?" The thief called out once more, trying desperately not to sound frantic, but to no avail. "KRAD!"

A stir. Then a growl.

"Shut up…"

"You idiot! Why did you do that? You could've died!"

The hunter growled again, wanting nothing more than throwing a straight punch on that thief's face and shutting him up, but a simple move would certainly take away his remaining energy. So instead, he just let out a painful breath while ignoring his burning lung and mumbled.

"Shut up… Head hurts…" Scratch that, his whole body hurt like hell.

Despite his state of panic, the purple-haired man couldn't help but let a small smile crept to his lips when he heard the other's complaint. Leaning down a bit, he used his finger to draw a symbol and whispered a spell. The burn marks faded. This method only worked for a short time, but it would prevent the angel's wounds from getting infected.

"Krad… Can you retract your wings?"

There was no reply, but white wings slowly sank into their owner's back. The slender body in his arms trembled as the process went on. The thief's heart clenched when he noticed this. It was all his fault. If only he had been more careful to realize that it was a trap...

_Dang. I'm such a fool._

Dark gently picked the blond up. Self-damnation could come later. He had to take him out of this place first. That Sei guy was surely the one who had sprung the trap, and he was not eager at all to face him with an injured angel.

"Where are we going?" Asked Krad, suddenly confused.

"Back. You need treatment."

"No, I don't." The shorter man instantly protested, with a weak attempt to get his feet back on the ground, but his other half held him still.

"Yes, you do. You think you can still fight in your condition?"

"I _am _capable of defeating you now, moron."

"Yeah, yeah, call me whatever you want, but we're out of here."

"I'm not going to…"

"Now _you _listen." The black angel impatiently cut him off. "You took that blow for me, you die, my conscience won't let me live in peace. So, we're leaving, whether you want it or not. Got it?" Okay. That was soooooooo not what he had wanted to say.

_Leave me out of this. _His conscience grunted inside his head. _If you care for him, why don't you just freakin' say so? _Dark brushed it off. Like hell he'd admit that the thought of Krad's death a minute ago had nearly driven him insa… No, that wasn't it. He just felt _guilty_, guilty I say, for he was the cause of the man's injury. Yep.

_Fine, have it your way. _The conscience rolled its eyes. _Arrogant bastard..._

Had Dark not been busy with a certain blond in his arms, he would have hit his forehead _really _hard. Great, even his own conscience was siding with his other half now? Well… maybe 'siding' wasn't the exact word, but who cared. The problem was, how could he go on blurting out something like 'I will not let you stay because I can _not _stand seeing you hurt or dead, though I don't know why, so shut up and we'll both be happy'!? True, he had said the same thing to girls and other people millions times before - in a cornier way even – but when it came to Krad, those words just _stuck_ in his throat. Perhaps because the man was such an ass all the time, or because he had been trying to kill him for over forty decades, or because he had just saved _his_ life… Either way, spilling all his guts to the angel was simply impossible.

"If you want to beat the hell out of me, you'll have to recover first." The thief finally said, turning his head away. "I don't fight injured people."

That was when the blond understood. Being a smart one as he was, he could see unspoken worry in those amethyst eyes, which made him felt quite awkward. He wasn't used to being cared for... Not by anyone aside from Sei-sama at least.

His feature softened.

"Fine. We're going back."

"Really?" The purple-haired man was utterly surprised. "I mean… you get it faster than I thought…"

"No, moron, I'm just tired."

It wasn't an entire lie. His back was burning up, and his vision was getting a bit blurry. Krad leaned his head on the taller man's chest, and it seemed for a moment that Dark's heart was beating faster. The hunter mentally shook his head. Probably his imagination though…

"I actually find this scene quite lovely… But thief, mind returning the prince to me now?"

* * *

_Beautiful._

He couldn't help but murmured to himself pleasantly when golden eyes set on him, with a slight stir of emotion which soon dissipated into nothingness. Such proud creature, knowing perfectly how to hide his fear. He smirked, that would only make things all the more interesting…

"Sorry dude, don't feel like giving him to you right now… But you can wait, whatever your name is, for about… forever I guess?"

The Phantom thief, if had been startled a second ago, had regained his calmness and was now grinning at him in a playful yet not-so-playful manner. The black-haired man was able to decipher threat from his cheerful tone, as well as to notice that the kaitou had protectively tightened his hold on Krad. This didn't pleased him, not in the least. Only he had the right to touch his prey, and no one else.

But oh well, obstacles existed to be destroyed. Annihilated.

"The name's Sei Hikari, Mousy." His eyes crinkled as he smiled in a friendly sort of way. "Is it right, _Krad-chan_?"

His little bird remained emotionless.

"What's with the expression, angel? It doesn't suit your beauty… Come on, smile for me like you used to." He began sweetly.

Dark didn't like where this one-sided conversation was going. It seemed like that guy had just openly flirted with the seraph, and he'd be damned if he found it as anything other than an awful nuisance.

"I can see our little friend is not quite pleased…" Pitch black orbs glinted in amusement. The purple-haired man glared at him. "… I beg your forgiveness, thief. But after all, I was, am, his lov…"

He quickly tilted his head to dodge a huge energy ball, his smirk widened.

The fallen angel grimaced and embraced himself as a sudden pain shot down his spine. His sight was disfunctioned for a brief moment, his head ached, and it felt like his power had been drained entirely. Shit, now he could not handle throwing a fucking _energy ball_.

"Krad? Are you okay?" Asked the thief, worry evident in his voice.

"I think he's not." The raven chuckled. "Mousy's right, Krad. You're in no condition to fight."

The blond's face darkened. "I'll kill you."

"Really? I'm deeply touched."

Shoving his hands in his pockets, the black-haired man lifted off in the air. His lips parted, letting out incomprehensible words. Amethyst eyes widened when paper pieces rose up from their current place on the desk and plunged towards him like sharp daggers. He instantly put up a barrier, causing them to fall to the floor.

"Bastard…"

"Thief, put me down."

"Don't you even think about it."

"What?"

"Much as you want to kill him, you don't have much energy left."

The blond hated it when his other half was undeniably right. He couldn't do much in this state.

"Baka, you can't fight with me in your arms either. Put me down, I can defend myself."

Dark hesitated for a moment, but settled his mind as he saw the raven shape his energy in a form of a sword. "Alright. Be careful."

Krad nodded. The purple-haired man stood up, turning to the so-called 'Sei Hikari' as he plucked out a black feather. Sei smirked, lunging himself at him.

Sharp noises echoed in the room when their power collided. Not wasting his time, the black-haired man immediately raised his knee, aiming a kick at the thief's abdomen. Dark dodged, hand clenched into a fist which was soon thrown at the other man's face, slamming him to the solid earth beneath. He let out another punch, but Sei managed to block it and rolled to his feet.

"Pretty fast, thief. I'm impressed."

"You should have been since the first time we met, but you ran away."

The raven ignored the open insult, forming his energy sword again. The kaitou did the same. "Hey, don't think you're the only one who can do that."

"No, I don't."

They shot up in mid-air, continuing their fight with weapons instead of fists. Dark had to admit, Sei was definitely not a weak opponent, in both magic and strength. But still, the man could not compare with Krad.

Whereas he had been Krad's worst enemy since forever.

"_Game over." _

The thief breathed out as he had the raven pinned against the wall by his neck. Sei didn't struggle, an indifferent expression marrying his feature.

"Now give back the cross." He lowered his voice, putting his energy sword near the man's throat. "And the Black Hole."

"What if I say no?"

"You'd better not."

"Say, thief, you're pretty important to our Krad-chan, aren't you?"

"Don't change the topic."

"… And he said he loved you, correct?"

"It's none of your business."

Chuckled.

"So what is he to you? Aside from a filthy _demon_?"

The black-haired man suddenly raised his arm and shot out a block of light. Dark's eyes grew wide, he hadn't expected that. The bastard had been stalling for time to gather his energy… And his target was…

"KRAD!"

Sei's lips curved up. What had he said again?

Only he had the right to touch his prey.

And no one else.

* * *

_Bah, what a tiresome week. You haven't forgotten this story yet… have you? Oh my God, so you all have? Guess I can't blame you…_

**Domini-chan: **Me? Well, thanks for asking, I'd committed suicide XD. And had learnt a lesson from the doctor: "Do you even know how to cut your wrist you idiot? Next time you should slice the knife there…", and so on and so forth. And bout that last line, HOW DID YOU KNOW? I thought my voice-imitation was perfect… Hey, how's your Risa torturing going? I'm still waiting… You can return her corpse to me after you're done, I'll revive her and have you torture her again XD.

**Stormshadow13: **So there was no serious mistake? Thank God… And thank you for checking the chapter over for me (hug). About your clock, have you tried burying it along with Risa Harada? That might work. (Cough) 8 o'clock Math finals do not suck, they super suck. (cough, cough.)

**Lydia-chan: **I can't wait to see that too! So why do we have to wait? Blame the stupid author! A minute please… I'm practically the author... That means you'll blame me? Oh my…

**Judikickshiney: **Since Krad's mine, I think you can have Toshi-kun XD. But you'll have to beat Dai-chan first… (Whisper) He's pretty scary when he's jealous, so be careful…

**Crizzy-chan: **You had a busy week too? (cry) My last week was a mess, I'm so glad I can manage to post this chappie up. And yeah, a blushing Krad looks pretty cute, especially when I kiss him… **"You mean **_**I **_**kiss him". **Oops, sorry, I mean when Dark kisses him (grin).

**23: **I normally don't give away my OCs, but since it's you… okay! You can keep him as long as you want, just return him to me when I have to use him for my chapters, 'kay? Oh, so you're the one who'd tied Krad up? Thanks a lot, I was able to do _stuff _with him _without _having to cut the rope (grin maniacally). Was it tough fighting with Dark? By the way, is Soubi-chan from Loveless in your basement? I've been looking for him…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter VIII**

_No matter how I cried your name…_

… _You didn't come back._

"KRAD!"

The fallen angel blinked as he heard his name escaped rather loudly from his counterpart's mouth. He abruptly lifted his head up, only to have his brain pounding hard onto his skull in protest. The blond stuck a hand in his golden lock, trying to get rid of the annoying blurriness that was clouding his vision, just in time to see pure magic rushing towards him at full speed. Instinctively, he let out a spell, and a shield closed up around him, shattering the light block into bunches of thin rays.

Pain imploded inside the hunter, knocking him to the floor. He breathed heavily. The surrounding was getting blurry again. His injury was worse than he'd expected.

_Damn._

He despised it when he was helpless.

The black-haired man felt the dead grip on his neck loosened. His face muscles bent, pulling his lips into a cunning smile. Immediately grabbing the offending arm that was still hanging carelessly under his chin, he twisted it with all his roughness and flung his obstacle to the cold stone surface.

"Tsk, tsk." Sei shook his head, as the thief pushed himself up by his elbow with difficulty. "You should learn to trust the others, Mousy. My little bird said he could protect himself, didn't he?"

Dark just grunted and rubbed his now terribly aching back. That shitty man sure knew how to fling things. "You cheap bastard."

"Cheap? I'd rather call it logical…"

The purple-haired man rose up to his feet, still grimacing. His pathetic of a spine had almost refused to listen to any order from its owner, and that, was not good in this situation at all. "Logical my foot…"

Just as he said that, he suddenly realized something.

Neither of his foot could move.

Even an inch.

"What did you do?" He hissed.

"Me? I didn't do anything." Came the innocent reply. "Wait a minute… Maybe I was being _logical,_ and glued your shadow to the ground…"

Sei's voice was now drifted with sarcasm, and Dark had the urge to go over there and strangle him to death. However, the raven had landed out of his reach, so that he could do nothing but watching amusement swimming in those black pools. The kaitou furiously spread his own wings and plucked out a feather, but stop in mid-movement. He didn't sense magic emitting from it.

What the heck?

"Don't waste your energy, thief. Unlike last time, you can't use your magic anymore." The black-haired man folded his arms in front of his chest, his mouth corner twitching. "And don't try to summon your familiar either. I've put up a barrier around this section, he can't come up here."

"You…"

"I'd love to play with you some more, but my little bird's waiting for me…"

The thief's heart stopped beating for a second.

"Don't you dare touch him."

"Well? We can see about that…"

A half-smirk, half-grin was plastered on the pale face. Sei turned on his heel, much to Dark's horror, and walked towards the seraph, who was weakly glaring at him from his current lying position. Cat-like eyes turned harsh when warm breath caressed his cheek. The man grabbed his chin, forcing him to look into twin pieces of coal.

"Why, angel" The taller man mock-pouted. "You won't smile for me anymore? Because you have that thief now?"

Anger leaked out in the air, so much that he was able to taste its deadly sweet flavor. That satisfied him, and aroused him at the same time. With a lustful glint imprinted in his eyes, the black-haired man leaned forward, sensually sliding his tongue over the sensitive neck of his angel.

"Get. away. from. him."

The thief's voice boiled up with fury. He was so going to kill that bastard in the most painful and sadistic way he could ever come up with.

"Hm? Jealous now, thief?" Sei paused in his ministration on the light hunter. "Then come over here and we can rematch. But I think you should try to move first…"

"YOU BASTARD!"

Krad scowled in disgust as the black-haired man tuck a hand under his torn shirt. He was too weak to stop him.

"Get your hands off of me." He threatened darkly.

"You'd rather have Mousy do this to you? Too bad… He will never return your feelings and you know it."

"Shut up."

"Neh, beauty…" The raven whispered. "Seems like you've forgotten what a tainted demon you are… Should I remind you a little?"

The hunter froze when Sei claim his mouth over his.

_No…_

* * *

_Satoshi clutched his shoulders._

"_Hiwatari-kun? What's wrong?"_

_What… was wrong? The blunette automatically repeated Daisuke's question in his head, over and over until he could put those words together in such a way that made sense to his brain. What… was wrong? He didn't know either. Every single line defining his friend's features, the red color he had so grown to love kept flickering before his eyes, then faded into sudden overwhelming whiteness._

_Where was Daisuke? Wasn't he at the Niwa mansion just a second ago?_

_Where was… this place?_

_Azure orbs traveled around confusedly, his feet wandered aimlessly around the endless dimension of white. Only when a wave of magic touched him did he stop, blinking, an arm stretched out to reach to a familiar figure. _

"_Krad?"_

_The blond didn't react to his call. He was quietly sitting there, chained up, covered in blood from deep cuts that ruined the perfection of his skin. Deep cuts, everywhere… The boy covered his mouth and tried to get closer, but couldn't. An invisible force pushed him back, making him stumble to where he had stand previously. _

"_Krad? Where's Dark?"_

_Again, he earned himself nothing but silence. Soulless eyes rolled up and gazed at him. Through him._

"_Useless creature…"_

_The Commander spun around, startled when he saw a man walking in his direction. A strange, yet somehow familiar man…_

"_Isn't it ironic? I only have you, while he belong to those filthy Niwas…"_

_A Hikari?_

_His ancestor?_

"_Why can't you be like him? Why do I have you bearing on my soul instead of him? I want HIM!"_

_The man barked out a spell. The hunter cried out in agony, only to have his host's nail dug into his arms, drawing crimson liquid._

"_Next time, if you dare to fail…"_

_The blue-haired teen watched in horror as Krad screamed again, before the scene broke into another. A room._

"_You know I'm your master, don't you?" A voice huskily resounded, different from the first one he'd heard. "Then you must obey my every word…"_

"_No, master, please…" The seraph pleaded, struggling against the grip on his wrist. "I can't… We can't."_

"_And why not?" The man impatiently snapped. "You let that thief get away again… And this is your punishment."_

"_But… master…"_

_Incoherent words rang out, and Krad crumpled on his knees. The Hikari smirked, pushing him down to the bed behind. The blond could do nothing but begging in vain for his tamer to stop, when the man pinned both his hands above his head and ripped off his robe. _

"_Be nice…"_

_Sweat. _

_Scream._

_Pain._

_The scene shattered._

_Satoshi shut his eyelids. It couldn't be. It just __**couldn't**__. His ancestors couldn't be like that._

_The white dimension spun._

"_Don't touch me, monster!"_

_Hurt._

"_Why don't you just die? Go to hell and leave me alone!"_

_Hurt._

_Pain._

"_If I kill you, will I have him instead?"_

_Hurt._

_Pain._

_Agony._

"_You want to be loved, demon? Then let me love you… tonight…"_

_Hurt._

_Pain._

_Agony._

_Desperation._

_._

_._

"_Ring around the roses_

_Pockets full of posie..."_

_Hurt._

_Pain._

_Agony._

_Desperation._

_Hollowness._

_._

_._

"_Live for me, will you?"_

_Blood._

_Too much blood._

_Too. much. blood._

_Pitter patter, pitter patter…_

"**Sei-sama… Why aren't you moving?"**

_Pitter patter, pitter patter…_

"**Why… aren't you moving?"**

**.**

**.**

"Satoshi? Satoshi!"

Daisuke shouted. The Commander collapsed into his arms, all color drained from his face, leaving him with a ghost-like appearance.

"Get the fuck…" Satoshi buried his head on the Niwa's chest, trembling. "Get the fuck out of my head…"

"**Sei-sama, why aren't you moving?"**

.

.

_No matter how I cried your name…_

… _You didn't come back._

* * *

Tears.

He could see uncontrollable tears that he had never seen streaming down the perfect feature. He could heard sobs that he had never heard trapped under shaky breaths. And he could feel pain.

Of loss.

Of desperation.

Of loneliness.

Krad. was. crying.

Which he would kill whoever, _whatever_ dared to be the cause of.

Amethyst eyes narrowed dangerously. Dark clutched a black feather, stabbing it straight through his other arm and sliding down sharply. Blood nourishing the night creature's flesh spilt over the floor, and darkness spread out, hungrily swallowing his shadow into its depth.

Thus he could move again.

Sei gasped when a blast of pure magic slammed on his rib-cage. Quickly pressed his palm on the ground to prevent himself from tumbling, he opened his mouth to drink air back into his lung, wincing slightly at how hurt it was just to draw in a simple breath. The attack had obviously broken more than one bone of his.

Plus, the cross he had earlier stolen had been taken back.

By none other than Dark Mousy.

_Interesting._

"Impressive, kaitou…" He managed to place on a smirk. "I shouldn't have forgotten… You can summon darkness with your blood…"

"Cost quite a lot." The thief smirked back, but his expression soon deformed to a cold one. "But I'm still capable of breaking your neck then incinerating your pathetic corpse to ashes."

That was certainly not a joke, and the raven knew it.

_It won't hurt to play a little more…_

"You saw his memories too, did you, thief? Since you and he have bonds…"

"You shut up about them." The kaitou hissed.

"Look who's talking." Sniggered. "You're no better than those Hikaris. You called him a monster, too. And it hurts him, thief. You hurt him just as badly as his old Tamers."

A strong hand grabbed his face. The purple-haired man angrily lifted him off the ground, despite their almost equal height.

"Mad now, aren't we?" An unfazed tone. "Because you know I was right."

"I'll kill you."

"As if."

Sei's solid body vanished into thin air, only to reappear near the windows – which had been broken during their fierce fight, a little unstable due to his injury. "Take care of my little bird, will you? He's running out of energy." Giving out a light chuckle, he jumped down, effectively escaping from Dark's reach.

_It won't hurt to play a little more…_

The thief punched hard on the nearby wall. He _would_ find that man, soon, and he _would_ make him suffer.

For hurting Krad.

_You are far more despicable, __**demon**__._

… Just… like… what he had done?

"Mousy…"

He turned around, lilac eyes met with golden orbs. Krad didn't broke the contact.

"You saw them all, didn't you?"

He asked, voice once again securely concealed from any kind of emotion. Yet a silent tear kept trailing down the pale cheek, and he didn't bother to wipe it away. The purple-haired man heard something pounding painfully in his chest, as he knelt down and pulled the blond into his embrace.

"Don't cry…"

"You saw them all…" The fallen angel repeated, tugging at the front of Dark's coat like a lost child, before consciousness was swept away from him.

"I'm sorry." The thief whispered, tightened his arms around the lith body. "I'm so sorry."

_Please, don't cry anymore…_

* * *

_...Hikari. No, not Sei-sama, I mean __**that **__Sei. "Excuse me, what did I do?" "You make Krad cry. AND YOU KISS HIM!" "But you wro…" "Shut up or I'll ask Domini-chan to write 'The bashing of Sei Hikari'. No, not Sei-sama, yes, I mean you." (Sniff) Oh my, poor my Kraddie. He CRIED! I hate the author! Somebody go murder that twit for me, please? "I know, let me do that." "That's right, go ahead, thief… er… wait… am I the author?" "Too late. Wish granted." _

_See you next life… Oh wait, need to ask a question before I die: Is it true that D. N. Angel vol 12 has been released? If yes, does anyone know where I can download it for free? _

**Peppymint: **No, I mean forty decades. I thought in my head 'four hundred years, four hundred years', and then it came out as forty years XD. I'm such a genius, I knew that. Thanks for pointing out my mistake!

**Lydia-chan: **Sei-sama's not a freak! Oh wait… you mean that Sei… Then yes, that Sei's a freak. He and I have many things in common, except that I'm more handsome… Okay, maybe it's the other way around…

**Domini-chan: **We really suit each other (grin). Perhaps I should learn how to commit suicide then teach my children, don't you think XD? Neh, and you've dreamed about RisaXRiku o"0? Who's on top? My God, I'm turning perverted… And how exactly was Risa in your dream?

P/s: So sorry for having reviewed as an anon last time, but my computer was so stubborn and didn't let me login. Don't hate me, please? (sniff, sniff).

**Stormshadow13: **Remove the battery? Oh… so there's _that_way to defeat clocks of doom… Why didn't you tell me sooner? My God, I had killed my clock! Along with Risa, that is… Of course I'll have to revive her later, so Domini-chan can torture her again XD. Neh, neh, where do we find those psycho squirrels?

**Akurei. Tenshi23: **You've got me Soubi-chan! YAY! I love you! (hug). Wait, but we have a problem. Do you want to borrow Sei-sama or _that _Sei? "_That _Sei? You can call me something else!" "Fine, Sei-chan" "Forget it…" Okay, maybe you can take both, since it's hard to tell them apart when the author's a complete twit….

**Fallen Glory: **Sniff. Yes, he is. Because he takes after me. Though I could never bring myself to kill Krad, he's too cute to even lay a finger on him! Yet I torture him so badly that he hates me (cry uncontrollably).

**Crizzy-chan: **We have the same problem. Sharing PC with our dearest Daddy and everything (sob). Guess we can't help it anyway. And yeah, you're very welcome to translate this fic to Spanish! I sent you a private message earlier so that you didn't have to wait for my update, but I don't know if it ever made its way to you…


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter IX**

"With, faster!"

"Kyuu!"

The night familiar answered from behind the kaitou's back, creating another powerful stroke to thrust the body of his master forwards. The rain had started to pour down again, and his wings had been thoroughly soaked, making it all the more harder for him to raise up his pace.

Dark held his counterpart closer to his chest. The spell he had cast earlier on the hunter was fading, he could feel it, as blood began to leak out from the shorter man's wounds and drip onto his hands. Krad's energy was running low, too, and with every minute passing, he was growing paler and paler. Were they to be with their hosts right now, this wouldn't be such a serious matter, but who knew what could _possibly_ happen since the seraph had been separated from Satoshi?

"Come on, blondie, don't you dare die on me..."

Damn the stupid weather for being so stupid.

Damn that Sei bastard for having taken too much of their time.

Damn him for not having been able to protect the angel.

Damn it all.

The purple-haired man stopped in his world damnation when he recognized the balcony of Daisuke's bedroom. With faltered his wings and put his master down, then flew forwards to open the door for the thief to enter.

"EMIKO! EMIKO!" The taller man bolted to the hall as soon as he had put his other half on the bed and shouted. "Emiko! Come up here! Drag Creepy boy along with you!"

He didn't have to wait long till a very confused Emiko hurried in his direction, following suit by an equally confused blunette and a red head. The chestnut-haired woman grasped the matter immediately as she saw crimson liquid tainting the kaitou's hands. She ran past him into the room and towards the seraph, while throwing orders over her shoulders.

"Dark, go get me some hot water, bandages, and a towel. Daisuke, go to my room and find my special lotion, yes, the tube we made two days ago. Satoshi, come in here. Wait, have you got the mediator back?" The boy held up the golden cross Dark had just shoved into his hands, and she nodded. "Good. You two have to merge back first. His power is subsiding."

* * *

Daisuke shifted uncomfortably on the back of the thief's mind. It had been more than two hours since Emiko had ushered them out of his room to lock herself along with Satoshi in, and during said period, Dark simply drowned himself in his domain of isolation, giving only short responds if Daisuke's father or grandpa tried to initiate a talk while treating the wound on his arm. Seeing his curse not being in his usual self was sort of awkward to the fire-eyed wing master, especially when he could directly sense the other's uneasiness.

_**Dark...?**_

_**Hn?**_

_**Can I talk to you?**_

_**We **_**are**_** talking.**_

The purple-haired man regretted it the moment he snapped at his tamer. True, he was worried about Krad, but getting mad at Daisuke was unreasonable. _Now I scared him off, _he cursed mentally when the boy didn't continue with his words.

_**I'm sorry, Dai-chan. What is it?**_

Another moment of silence, then Daisuke spoke up. _**Could you tell me what happened at the police station?**_

The thief's eyebrow rose.

_**Isn't it obvious? We fought, that shitty bastard escaped, I haven't got the Black Hole back yet, end of the story.**_

_**Is that all?**_

_**No.**_

_**What else?**_

_**I was stupid and fell into that guy's trap, and that's why Krad was injured.**_

_**Huh?**_

_**I didn't realize that the 'Black Hole' we found was a fake, Dai. He saved me. **_Dark lowered his voice. _**It was all my fault.**_

_**Oh... **_Was all the red head could utter. He wanted to comfort his alter-ego, he really did, but seemed like all the phrases he needed had been erased from his brain. There was something in the kaitou's tone that made him wordless. It wasn't a plain feeling of guiltiness, that 'something' had a tinge of sadness, and... and...!? He couldn't even find a specific definition for what he was going to put next to those three dots.

_**I was useless, wasn't I?**_

_**No... No, Dark! **_Ruby eyes widened. _**You weren't useless at all! Who knows what would have happened if Krad-san had gone to find that man by himself? And... and you got his cross back! **_

The taller man snickered when his host started to stumble for more reasons as to why he wasn't an useless creature, or at least not as useless as he thought. Daisuke was just too kind for his own good.

_**That's enough, Dai-chan. **_He cut the small boy off at the fiftieth reason. _**Thank you.**_

_**You're welcome. **_The Niwa smiled slightly. _**But Dark... Is there anything else that happened to Krad?**_

The thief frowned. Could it be that Daisuke had known something about the blond's memories? But he had blocked out his thoughts...

_**No... Why do you ask?**_

_**Because Hiwatari-kun...**_

A hand tapped at his shoulders, interrupting their conversation. The purple-haired man turned around to see Emiko tiredly pointing upstairs.

"Satoshi needs to talk to you. He said it was private."

* * *

Satoshi Hikari closed his eyes, allowing his face muscles to bend into a slight wince and his teeth to grind against one another, trying desperately not to collapse due to the burning sensation on his back. His breaths came out shallow and heavy, ceasing periodically whenever the pain shot to its climax of fierceness. The fourteen-year-old genius didn't need more to know that he was experiencing the same torture as Krad was, and between his effort to bear with it, he couldn't help but wonder why his body had never suffered interactive pain like this before, despite numerous fights between the thief and the fallen angel. It wasn't like Dark's hard attacks had never hit their target...

He vaguely heard the lock turning with a soft 'tick', thus driving his face towards its direction. A mop of purple hair popped in, before the body attached to it was dragged along.

"It's a bit inappropriate to confess your love to me now, don't you think, Creep? It's four in the morning already."

"I'd rather die." The Comander threw him a black look, before wincing again.

"You okay?"

"Never been better." Was the sarcastic reply. "His wounds are just killing me."

The thief tossed him a sympathetic smile. "Want some help?"

"Define help."

Without a word, the taller man reached out and traced his forefinger along the boy's back. To Satoshi's surprise, the pain was soothed down instantly.

"How did you do that?"

"Simple. Krad was injured while being separated from you, so practically your body wasn't harmed. You're just sensing his pain, fixing that is quite easy." A shrug. "It will be different if he gets hurt while being inside you, though, 'cause you'll be directly wounded."

"If that's the case, then this method won't work?"

"If that's the case, the only way not to have the hosts' bodies affected is to take the damage to ourselves. Meaning, higher possibility to die."

Dark secretly noted to himself the thin line that was formed on the boy's lips. A flash of realization could be seen crossing those sapphire eyes. Realization of what, he couldn't tell, but didn't want to dig his nose in any further.

"Creep… you want to talk, right? About what?"

The blunette blinked and perked his head up, the after-effect of being pushed out from his stream of thought was evident on the pale feature. Hastily pulling himself together by adjusting his glasses, he set his cold mask back to work and looked the purple-haired man directly in the eyes.

"Tell me what happened at the police station."

The kaitou rolled his eyes. He should've seen it coming.

"Well…"

He paused awkwardly in his sentence, then reluctantly repeated the condensed story version he had told Daisuke before, only with a little more details in _how_ exactly had Krad got injured. He had been pretty sure the kid would get angry at him again, this time much more fiercely than the last, for he knew Satoshi cared about the hunter, though the boy had done his best – unsuccessfully – to cover that up. However, the Hikari just quietly listened to him till he finished, before opening his mouth to let out a simple question.

"What else?"

Dark gulped, part due to the eeri contrary to his former prediction, part due to the query the boy had just thrown at him. Daisuke had asked him the same one, but answering it would mean having to bring up Krad's past. It would be fine if the fallen angel had told his tamer about those memories before, but if he hadn't…

"That's all." The thief finally made up his mind. He wouldn't take the risk.

"Don't. give. me. that. 'That's all'.shit." The blue-haired teen gritted his teeth, snatching the taller man's collar. "There must be something you're hiding from me. Now spill. What else?"

"There's no 'what else' for me to tell you, Commander." Amethyst orbs calmly fixed on him. "And do not order me around."

Satoshi narrowed his eyes, but dropped his hand back on the bed and shifted to his previous position. It wouldn't do to play the hard way with someone who wasn't willing to join the game.

"I saw images…" The boy intertwined his fingers, azure eyes diverted towards the balcony, so he didn't see the tinge of confusion and curiosity on the thief's face at the sudden change of topic. "Of him… Of Krad… And he was… he was made to do things by…"

"By the Hikaris."

"… So you _are_ hiding something…"

Dark buried his face into his palm and sighed to himself. How in the heaven could he forget that the blunette had bonds with Krad, and even stronger bonds than those he shared with the blond? So the kid had no idea about his curse's past, but he had _seen_ them all… He sighed once more, this time sounded more like a muffled groan.

"Creep… You haven't told anyone about this, have you?"

"What do you think I asked for a private talk for?"

"Listen, kid…" Dark scratched the back of his head, as if choosing his words carefully. "I guess you've already figured out. What you've seen, was his old memories."

"How…?"

"Sei sort of brought them back. Forced him to remember, you might say. You were able to see them because you have bonds with Krad. Because you are his host."

"Oh…"

The blunette slightly shook his head. Why should he feel guilty? He didn't have to be responsible for what his ancestor had committed. And it wasn't like he _should_ feel bad for Krad. He hated that man for making his life a living Hell, for using him as a tool to approach the Niwas. All those junks that bastard had said to him… about him being his everything… were nothing but lies. The only reason for his sadistic of an alter-ego to protect him from physical harm was that he didn't want to harm the body which will soon be _his_. He didn't care for him...

_It's raining, Satoshi-sama._

_So what?_

_Kids shouldn't go playing in the rain._

… at all.

"He deserves it…"

"What?"

"That bastard deserves it…" The Commander clutched the sheet, hard enough to make his knuckles turn white under the force. "… for what he has put us through… for what he has put _me_ through! He has ruined _my_ life! Why should I ever _pity_ him, neh, thief?"

_You didn't answer my question._

_About my past? It's not important._

Stupid idiot.

_You're still my everything, you know that? Be free to hate me._

Stupid, _stupid_ idiot.

"How am I supposed to understand him? He doesn't need to be understood! He never tells me anything! He…"

He was cut off smoothly when a hand rose up and smacked him hard on the back of the head. The Hikari stunned for a moment, then glared at the purple-haired man angrily. That stupid thief! Could he take anything serious?

"What the hell was that for?"

"For the sake of your age, you're pushing yourself too much, Creep. No wonder you look like you're sick all the time…"

The thief withdrew his arm and folded it across his chest along with the other. Amethyst eyes trained on the shorter boy, clearly showing no sign of playfulness.

"You might be a genius, but that doesn't make you Mr. Know-it-all. I have known him for _centuries_, and yet I still can't say that I understand the real Krad even a bit. You've just lived with him for a year, what's so strange if you can't either? Especially when…" He scowled. "… the guy's a stubborn bastard."

Satoshi cocked an eyebrow, momentarily forgot about his earlier anger and depression. Then he smirked.

"And arrogant."

"And sadistic."

"And homicidal."

"And mean."

"Thief… isn't this considered talking behind a person's back?"

"Nah. I'm so gonna blow it onto his face when he wakes up."

A ghost of a smile grazed over the blunette's lips. "Maybe… I should do that too…"

"Then you have my support, kid." The kaitou grinned. "But rest first, you seem lack of sleep. Let Krad out, I'll watch him for you."

"Thanks, I guess…"

The boy spoke softly, before quickly transforming into the fallen angel. Dark smiled and shook his head as he sat down on the soft cushion next to his counterpart, then pulled up the blanket to cover the blond. A few golden strands flowed off the hunter's shoulders and felt into his hand as he did so, and Dark absently play with them, watching the shorter man shift lightly in his sleep.

Who would imagine that Krad could look so calm and defenseless while sleeping?

On second thought… Krad had always been calm. Not defenseless, but there had always been this calm demeanour, the calm facade that had presented perfectly in its place before that 'Sei Hikari' came. The mask that had never been seen through… Though perhaps he could have touched what was hidden beneath it, if he had tried for once.

_You're far more despicable, __**demon**__._

_If_ he had tried…

"So that Sei guy was right, huh?" He brushed his finger across a pale cheek. "I did hurt you after all…"

The rain had ceased in its pounding and lessened to a faint lullaby. A few droplets of fallen water drifted along the current of wind and moonlight, plastering against the windows, before cascading down and leaving wet traces behind on those panes of glass.

_Pitter patter, pitter patter…_

* * *

_I'm so, really, very sorry for the long delay. I've been wrenched off my computer for two weeks, and it took me a few more days to write this chapter… Okay, maybe not a few, maybe a lot… Anyway, I apologize for taking too long to update. Also, I'm currently working on chapter X, so it will be up soon… if God is kind enough not to strike me with a writer's block…_

**Peppymint: **Oh my God, so there _is _someone who doesn't want me to die. I'm so touched (sniffs). Thank you, and I promise I will try to keep myself alive, at least until this fic is finished.

**Domini-chan: **Yeah, someone told me that vol 12 had come out, but seems like it was only out in Japan. I tried OneManga, and also other websites where they have lots of scanlations, but found nothing T.T, not even a piece of summary… (Cries) I wanna read it! And I wanna read the next chapter of 'The bashing of Harada Risa'… Please?

**Sinful ang3l: **Thanks! (blushes). **"You know that she means the fic, not you." "What? I'm talking about the fic too! And you have to admit that I'm handsome!" "Whatever…" **

**Lydia-chan: **Yes, poor Kraddie... I tortured him too much, didn't I? I feel so guilty… But I can't help it, as long as he is my top favourite character XD. Glad you like the chapter!

**Stormshadow13: **Woa… (picks up a bloody head and gawks)… You sure have skills on murdering art, don't you? Nice cut, nice cut… I wonder if this is his first host… And oh my God, are you okay? Any wound? I'm so gonna kill them again and again and again if they dared give you any… Because my update for the 'Crystal of Addemandium' will have to take longer to show up. (I'm implying _something_, Storm-chan XD…)

**Astrid: **Woa, I have Astrid as my reviewer on this chapter! The weather must be really good today XD… Aw, and I almost made you cry? I'm so proud… Oh, and I'll try my best to kill that Sei for you, yeah, if he doesn't try to kill me first XD.

**23: **(Gasps)Akurei-chan, you okay? Did you have any cuts? If you have any, tell me and I'll incinerate those stupid Hikaris alive… On second thought, they're all dead, so maybe I'll just incinerate their corpses. I'm pretty sure you were the one who'd killed off his second tamer… Perfect skill… And yeah, IT' SO SAD since we haven't had volume 12 yet! I wanna read it!

P/s: I'm going to get a black coat that says 23 in it… And please send Mit-chan a hug and a kiss for me!

**GoddesOfWrath: **Thanks for liking the story! And yeah, I couldn't find out even the smallest piece about volume 12, though people said that it had come out in Japan. I wonder when they will make scanlations and let me download it…

**Crizzy-chan: **Oh don't worry about the late review, the thing is, you have reviewed! My computer used to have lots of virus too, hell, I suffered a lot during that time (shivers). And you can kill Sei as you please, but ask Akurei first, I sort of gave him to her…

**Silver: **(Hugs) Woa! Thanks a lot for the criticism! I really have lots of trouble dealing with verb tenses, even while writing this 9th chapter (cries). I'm still trying to go back and correcting them, but that will take a while, I guess… Anyway, thanks again for the criticism! And I'm glad you like the story!

P/s: Vol 12 is due his month? Really? Is it in America or in Japan?


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter X**

_For so many times in his life, he had wondered what death was._

_Was it as dark and warm as the Kokuyoku? _

_Was it as red as blood?_

_Was it entirely... white?_

_In the end, he could only figure out that the opposite side of the world wasn't what his knowledge consisted of. That fact alone made him curious, and as time flew by, the mere curiosity grew into fear. Into being afraid of what he couldn't see, couldn't understand, couldn't reach._

_For what if some day, he __**needed**__ death to be released? _

_Would it be better, or would it be worse?_

_And that was why he started to cut his wrist. Sliced it, let it bleed, waited till it healed, sliced it, let it bleed, waited till it healed, sliced it... Then maybe he would catch a glimpse of the definition for not-being-alive._

"_Why're you so quiet? Ah, do you think I look good in white? Have a date with Yura tomorrow..."_

_The first time in his life, he thought that death might be hollow. _

"_Ring around the roses_

_Pockets full of posies..."_

_He also noticed that physical pain could somehow make him feel less empty. And he began to cut his wrist even more than usual._

_Sliced it._

_Let it bleed._

_Waited till it healed._

_Sliced it._

"_... Ashes to ashes..."_

_What was death?_

_Was it as dark and warm as the Kokuyoku? _

_Was it as red as blood?_

_Was it entirely white?_

_Was it hollow?_

_Did it matter... if he could be with that man for eternity?_

"_... We all fall down."_

_He did fall. _

_He did feel blood._

_Then why didn't he see __**him**__?_

_Pitter patter, pitter patter..._

"_Live for me, will you?"_

_The first time in his life, he longed for death._

_Not the first time in his life, he couldn't have what he wanted._

_Pitter patter, pitter patter..._

"_**Sei-sama, why aren't you moving?"**_

.

.

"_Oi, Kraddie? What's wrong with you? A generation without me and you've gone weak already?"_

_Those beautiful eyes. That cheerful tone. That cocky smirk._

_That laughter._

_**Happiness.**_

"_Or maybe I was wrong... Old age's getting to you?"_

_That smile._

"_No, Mousy... Just a little too touched to see you again..."_

_He hated it._

_He desired it._

_And he loved it._

* * *

He wasn't at Satoshi's apartment.

That was the only thing Krad's dizzy mind could come up with the moment his view became clear again. The room he was currently locked in was just as neat and clean, but quite smaller. It would be extremely absurd if he ever mistook those black and red hues for the Hikari kid's favorite taste. The blunette's territory created a much emptier feeling with white color and a light shade of blue, which couldn't be helped with the lack of furniture needed to warm up the whole place. And the smell... Right, Satoshi-sama's bed and pajamas never had that comfortable scent of wood...

Where was he?

The blanket slipped off the blond's shoulders as he pushed himself up. Golden eyes wandered around, confusion didn't show but definitely was there. Why was he here? He had gone with Dark to the police station, and then...

And then...!?

**He brought you back to the Niwa mansion.** A familiar, monotone voice informed from the back of his head. **Unconscious. And wounded. **The voice turned harsh, obviously not for the sake of emphasizing.

**Satoshi-sama?**

Now he remembered. So he had merged back with his little tamer, huh?

**No, really, I'm the Phantom thief Dark Mousy.**

The tone stuck on its hard tune. Krad raised one of his delicate eyebrow, then smirked. It wasn't strange for him to see his host in a not so calm and collected manner, but this time the boy actually sounded more like a kid throwing tantrum along with food and toys. He couldn't answer the question 'how', let alone _why_ Satoshi suddenly acted uncharacteristically like that, so he decided to play along.

**You seem irritated. Did the wing master cheat on you or something?**

**Shut up.**

**Then why are you so upset, may I ask?**

**You promised.**

**Promised what?**

**That you wouldn't get hurt.**

The fallen angel batted his eyelids. **Oh... so you were worried about me? Why didn't you just say so?**

**I wasn't...**

**Thank you, Satoshi-sama. I'm touched.**

Satoshi sighed, but forced it out as a grunt. This was more like the Krad he had known over the past months, sarcastic and all, but he wasn't sure whether he should consider it as a sign of relief. He would not deny that he didn't feel right _at all_ with the completely quiet one whom the angel had switched to (and was seen as a grumpy bastard in Dark's point of view) after _that man_'s first appearance, but still... Still, how could the seraph sound so... so _normal_ after everything he had to endure? After the revival of those old memories?

The blue-haired boy frowned. _No, not exactly normal._ There was more caution, and the smirk looked more like a fake.

**Satoshi-sama, how long have I slept?**

Satoshi stopped in his musing and sent his alter-ego a mental image of him holding up two fingers.

**Two days?**

**No. **Shook head. **Two weeks.**

**That long?**

**I've missed two weeks of school for nothing, no thanks to you.**

**My apologies. But why didn't you just take over?**

**I only took over when needed to eat or take a shower. Else it'd slow down the recovering process.**

**Oh... Thank you?**

**I didn't do it for you. Who knows if your injury might affect me?**

Lie. Outright lie.

**I still want to thank you, Satoshi-sama. **

**Just... go back to sleep. You need to rest before we can go home.**

What the heck was he doing? He had so many thing he needed to tell the blond. He wanted to yell at him for getting injured, for acting like a bastard all the time, for not telling him about his past and making him look like a cold-hearted tamer who didn't understand a thing about his curse. He wanted to order him to stop with that fake smirk, he wanted to... apologize...

Yet he couldn't utter a word. He couldn't bring up about Krad's past.

**You are hiding something, Satoshi-sama.**

**Huh? **

**I mean I'll take your advice and go back to my dream land. You can take over and head home, I'm not quite fond of staying at the Niwa's...**

The Hikari was about to answer when the door clicked. The fallen angel paused in his pulling up the blanket, just as a flash of purple rushed over and clung onto him in a terribly fast speed, making him almost fall off the bed.

"KRADDIE!"

The blond blinked. "Mousy? What are you...?"

"I thought you'd never wake up!"

The purple mop - now known as the great Phantom thief Dark Mousy - hugged him tighter. Which was very, very _not_ right. But Krad, being Krad, just cocked an eyebrow to express his so-called confusion.

"Glad to see you again, Krad."

Kousuke Niwa chuckled and stepped in, putting the tray on his hand down the nightstand. Turning his head sideways, he caught golden eyes following him carefully, and he smiled. "Here's the dinner. We didn't know you had woken up, so it was made for Hikari... If you want to eat anything else, just tell Dark, alright?"

**You eat dinner this late, Satoshi-sama? It's ten thirty.**

**Shut up. **

"I guess I'm fine with these. Thank you, N..." The seraph stopped for a second. "Kousuke-san."

_He doesn't want to address me as a Niwa. _The black-haired man sadly thought. He really liked the golden seraph, there was always something about the curse that made him care... If only he could erase the pain and hatred scarring those sunlight ocean.

_Well, maybe I can't, but a certain someone can._ "Rest well, Krad-kun."

Kousuke gave the hunter another tender smile and walked out of the room. Krad watched till the man's back disappeared from his sight, then cleared his throat slightly.

"Mousy?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you let go of me?"

"No."

"Have you lost your mind?"

"That's mean, Kraddie. I was dead worried!"

Dark looked up at him, pouted. The blond stayed indifferent, his voice had changed back to its usual eerie smooth.

"Has Hell frozen over, Mousy?"

"No... I guess?"

"But you said you were worried..."

"I was! Ask Dai-chan! Wait... he's sleeping... Well ask Creepy boy!"

"Fine, you were." A sigh. "Now let go of me?"

The thief mock-huffed and released the shorter man from his embrace. He immediately missed the warmth of having the slender body in his arms, but he threw it out the window and climbed off the bed. _It'll be the same if I hug Dai-chan... or Creepy boy... _He tried to convince himself, letting out an involuntary shudder at the picture of him wrapping arms around the icy kid, while making his way to the nightstand where he picked up a bowl of soup along with a small spoon and handed them to the fallen angel.

"Eat some. You must be hungry."

"No, not quite." The seraph shook his head. "I never eat."

"Never eat? You gotta be kidding me!" The purple-haired man sat down next to his other half with a like-hell-I'll-believe-you-so-you'd-better-be-kidding-because-I-just-won't-believe-you expression. But the look on the hunter's face told him otherwise. "Seriously? No wonder you're so skinny..."

"Skinny?" His other half scoffed. "Excuse me, but you're no better."

"Let's prove this, shall we?" He smirked. "You're in _my_ pajamas."

"Your pajamas?" The blond looked down at his outfit. Now that explained the wood scent. "They're big..."

It was true. The blond was dressed in black baggy pants and a black shirt, which was not as big as those clothes of Kei Hiwatari, but big enough to make Krad look smaller than his natural frame. His fingers were covered entirely beneath the shirt's long sleeves, and though Dark couldn't see the pants because the seraph had pulled the blanket up to his waist, he was sure as hell that when stood up, they would flow over the shorter man's heels.

And somehow, the hunter looked cute with big clothes...

… _Cute!? I'm going crazy aren't I!?_

_No, you're not. You're just changing from an idiot to a smarter one. _The conscience purred happily with an evil grin that looked freakishly like his. _I'm touched._

He ignored it for the second time.

"See my point? You're skinnier than me!"

"Real good thing to be proud of..."

Thick, heavy silence quickly fell upon them both, as the fallen angel took the bowl from Dark's hand and started to enjoy the first meal in his life. It wasn't half-bad to begin with, but he felt quite odd tasting human things, so he only had half of his share before handing the bowl over to the thief. Dark put it back on the tray, then turned around, slightly surprised when he found unreadable cat-like eyes observing him. The taller man opened his mouth for a question, but none came out, for he suddenly found it hard to even breath while locking his eyes with those angelic honey marbles. So he cocked his head to the side instead, as if wordlessly asking the blond. _Why are you looking at me like that?_

"You have something you need to say, don't you?"

The kaitou flinched visibly, but quickly shook his head. "No, I don't. What makes you think that?" He laughed nervously.

"Right… Like you'd ever be hyperactive enough to _actually_ admit that you were worried about me…"

Krad chuckled softly when he saw bewilderedness in violet eyes, tilting his head a bit to let golden strands slide down and cover his face. Sometimes it was just too easy to decipher his counterpart's emotion.

_Pity._

"It's about my past, isn't it?" He continued with his calm, silky voice. "Quite pathetic, I see…"

His gasp was nearly hearable when the purple-haired man cupped his cheek, gently turning his face so that he could look directly into amethyst pools.

"Idiot… You are thinking that I'm _pitying _you again, aren't you?"

"Oh? What _else_ should I think, then?" The emotionless smile reappeared. "You've been acting differently ever since you knew about them…"

The thief grew silence for a while at those words, before closing his eyes and tuck a hand into his violet hair, a deep sigh escaping his throat.

"You're right. I _have_ changed since I knew about your past, but it's not out of pity. I don't know _how_ to make you believe me, but…" A pause. "… I care for you, Krad. And I…"

_I don't want to see you cry._

"… I realized that I've been unfair to you. I mean, calling you a demon while I didn't know a thing about you and all… It was inconsiderate of me. And for that, I'm sorr…"

He couldn't finish his sentence as the angel swiftly sat up and pinned him down on the bed. Krad smiled coldly before leaning down, almost brushing their lips together.

"You're too naïve, don't you know that, thief? It'll be the downright fall for you…" The blond whispered in a dangerously smooth tone. "Have you forgotten that I'm the one who's been trying to kill you for four centuries? All those physical damage I gave you and your hosts… How I killed my dear little tamer… How I tortured _you_…"

A delicate finger traced along the line of his jaw.

"Know why I saved your life back then? Because you were helping me. Equivalent trade, no? But next time… I will not hesitate to destroy you…"

The hunter gave out a soft chuckle.

"Don't feel guilty for what you've said, Mousy. Don't ever. Because I…" He breathed into the taller man's ear. "… am a monster at heart."

_A dirty creature._

Golden orbs grew wide when the thief abruptly grabbed his arm and flipped their position, so that he was able to straddle the seraph. Krad seemed surprised at first, but quickly regained his calmness, smirking challengingly at the taller man. A frown married Dark's feature as he looked down at the blond, but the light hunter couldn't tell whether his counterpart was regretting helping him, or that frown was simply a gesture of loathing and being disgusted.

"Damn it, Krad…"

Not that he could care less. He had already been used to being hated, and things would go as no exception for Dark Mousy.

"… If you're still mad at me, please just say so."

_What!?_

"Look, it was my fault, okay? I'm really sorry. If… if you want to kick my ass or something, then go ahead, I won't fight back. Just… forgive me?"

With a tinge of disbelief that was barely concealed, amber eyes bored into lilac ones, searching for a sign of lie, but found nothing but genuineness. Dark was deadly serious. Seriously apologizing to someone who'd just threatened to kill him. There was absolutely no hatred or disgust as he had expected.

A wave of relief that the hunter couldn't explain washed over him, before settling itself in the pit of his stomach, bringing along a strange, light feeling.

_Could that thief be… any naiver than that?_

It was the only thought crossing his mind, and Krad didn't know, or didn't care, if that was when his stoic brain decided to reject its own sanity.

He burst into a laugh.

The purple-haired man could do nothing but gawk as his former enemy doubled over underneath him and _laughed_. Krad… was… laughing? Both Hell and Heaven _must_ have been frozen over, then crashed into millions of pieces by a giant artwork…

Slightly letting his jaw drop, the kaitou kept his staring for a good period of fifteen seconds, before twitching violently. Why was the blond _laughing _anyway? He was apologizing to _him_, and he was _serious_, damn it!

"What are you laughing at?" He asked, annoyed. "I don't see what's so funny."

The fallen angel slowed down in his laughter, his stomach aching terribly. He had never laughed that hard since the day he was born, not even during the generation when he was with his Sei-sama. No one but that thief, that idiotic, beyond untainted thief could ever draw out such an emotion in him…

He had long forgotten why he loved the man.

Krad waited till he could completely control himself, then turned to face his – now fuming - other half, smirking.

"Idiot."

"Hey!"

"Moron."

"I'm not…"

"Total moron."

"Meanie…" Dark huffed, and was about to turn his head away when he saw the angel smiled.

That real, breath-taking smile.

"Thank you, Dark." He whispered.

As soon as his name left the blond's lips, the purple-haired man felt a shiver running down his spine. Krad had never called him 'Dark' before… His throat suddenly went dry when he noticed their close proximity. The seraph was lying beneath him, clothes disheveled a bit, face flushing from his previous laughter…

Beautiful.

_Shitshitshitshitshit! What am I thinking? And how the hell does he __**still **__smell like vanilla? That Creep doesn't use vanilla shampoo!_

"What's wrong with you…" Asked the hunter, confused at his sudden quietness.

_Oh no no no no NO! Don't call…_

"…Dark?"

… _my name. Shit._

Krad stunned when the kaitou ran a finger across his rosy lips. A light shade of pink gradually painted his pale feature, despite his effort to stay unfazed. Why did the thief look like he was going to… kiss… him? And why was he blushing? He had even initiated a kiss with Dark before!

"Thief…?"

"This is all your fault…"

The purple-haired man murmured, caressing the angel's cheek. He half closed his eyes as his hand stuck into silken golden hair, pulling the shorter man's face closer to his.

"DARK-CHAN!!"

* * *

A girl's voice boomed at the door, startling both of them from their intimate position. Dark spun around - extremely pissed off – only to see a certain silver-haired artwork frozen at her current spot. Towa no Shirube's hand flew up to cover her mouth, her brown pupils had gone to the standard of a giant plate.

"I can't believe it!" Her high-pitched voice exploded again. "You took advantage of Krad-sama's injury!"

"Toto, I didn't…"

"And how come you're on _top_? I thought you'd be on bottom!"

"I resent that!"

"What's wrong with you people? Can't keep your voice any lower than that?"

Argentine stepped in, covering his ears. The thief glared at him. "I was wondering where you'd disappeared to… So you came to Tokyo to get HER back?" He angrily pointed a finger at Towa, who instantly clung onto the brunette's arm.

"Well?" The tan boy cocked his eyebrow. "It's not my fault that she's an esper while you're not. We'll need her help sooner or later, right?"

"But…"

"No buts, Dark-chan. And it's not my fault you _didn't_ lock the door." The girl stuck her tongue out at him.

"Why you…"

The chestnut-haired boy sighed, walking past the bickering pair and towards the light hunter. "Krad-sama." He bowed his head in front of the blond, who nodded in return. "I've heard the detail from Kousuke-san. I'm glad that you're safe."

"I'm fine, Argentine. Thank you for your concern." The angel replied politely.

"I can see that. You seem to have just had quite a… relaxing time…" Argentine smiled when he saw a tint of red grazing ivory skin.

"I don't remember you ever being sarcastic…"

"No, Krad-sama. It's just…" The brunette looked at him tenderly. "… Your eyes have softened…"

He paused when two familiar arms wrapped around his waist. The silver-haired girl rested her chin on his shoulder.

"You two done talking?"

"You two done bickering?" He asked back teasingly. "Where's Dark?"

"He went to Emiko." The girl nuzzled his neck. "Argie-chan, may I have a minute with Krad-sama?"

The chestnut-haired artwork's eyebrow rose, as if silently questioning his love, but Towa only gave him a grin before ushering him out of the room. She firmly closed the door, then turned on her heels and returned to the seraph's bedside, her grin slowly faded.

"I think you need to know this, Krad-sama. There's something wrong about Dark's power."

* * *

_I know… I have completely ruined the romantic scene. Blame me for having no-sense-of-romance XD. Or maybe you can just ignore it, and let me tell you this: __**23 had found us the scanlations of D. vol 12 and 13!! And she has kindly allowed me to post the link up: mangafox. com/page/manga/series/73/dnangel/. Big thanks and kisses for her, people! (Hugs Akurei-chan). I love you!**_

**Peppymint: **I _really _regret to hear that you are going, and for that long. But don't worry, I will continue to update this fic till it's finished, so that you will have a full story when you come back, and (hopefully) you won't be disappointed. Wish you luck on your trip!

**Domini-chan: **Guess what, Akurei-chan has found us the scanlations! Now we'll be able to rave about it like real idiots XD! Though I have to warn you, these volumes have DarkRisa in it (twitches), so please be careful not to break your computer (I've had enough experience). And OF COURSE I'd read 'The bashing of Harada Risa', and had reviewed to it before I posted chapter 9 up. What I meant was your 4th chapter! And I've got it XD!

**23: **(Snatches the Hikari ghosts and locks them up in the toilet). Don't worry, I've got them under control! I'm so happy that Kira-chan has realized the perfect evil of Sei (sniffs). Yeah, of course he's evil, and his creator is a hell lot bigger of an evil! Which is why I can't understand why he has more fans than me… But never mind that, thanks again for helping me find the scanlations! I can't find any other way to thank you for now, but I'll think of something! (puts on the coat that says 23 and grins).

P/s to Kira-chan: She's special to me too.

**DaiXSato15: **(Scratches head stupidly)What do you mean that Dark will NEVER be Krad's? Oh… _oh _I get it, so you mean that Krad WILL be Dark's, which means you prefer Dark to be seme XD. Don't worry, me too. And I won't deny that Kraddie's a weirdo, what reason do you think I love him for anyway XD?

**GoddesOfWrath: **I know! That thief can be really cute sometimes… Which never ceases to surprise me…

**Stormshadow13: **I can feel your pain. Being ripped off from your computer is one of the worst pains human have to endure. Even HELL can't compare to that! Okay, maybe it can, but whatever… Please relax and go kill those Hikaris again, it'll make you feel a lot better. They are nothing without Krad. MUHAHAHAHAHA! (coughs, coughs).

**Crizzy-chan: **Oh, that's okay. Like I said, the point is that you've reviewed! And how's your exam? I'm going to have one soon… Joyous…


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter XI**

The rain had stopped just a few minutes ago, leaving behind mere rustling of leaves brushing against the still but cold air of what seemed to be a long night ahead. The piece of silvery moon shyly re-emerged from behind the gray clouds, scattering her light over the drenching ground below and into a pair of beautiful golden marbles, reluctantly accepted when her brightness was drown into their depth.

Krad pressed his palm on the cold glass, absently letting his eyes stroll along watery traces that the rain had imprinted there earlier. He could feel a pair of blue orbs watching him from the inside, patiently waiting for his sign of acknowledgement. He knew the kid had heard everything, and it was odd that the blunette could still keep himself silence, not demanding a solution from him.

_- Flashback -_

"_What do you mean by 'something wrong'?"_

"_I'm not sure, Krad-sama." The silver-haired artwork winced at his flat tone, but answered nonetheless. "It just feel… different. Incomplete, you might say. Like his power's missing something."_

_The blond frowned slightly, but his face was back to its normal calmness as he locked his eyes with the girl's brown ones. "Do you think you can find the cause?"_

_She nodded uncertainly._

"_I'll try my best. But for now, please keep an eye on him, Krad-sama. We don't want anything happen to that reckless idiot." Towa stood up, smiled at him ruefully. "At least I know you don't."_

_- End flashback -_

The fallen angel slid down to the carperted floor, drawing his legs up and slowly wrapping his arms around them. _Something wrong about Dark's power… _His memories traveled back to what the girl had said, which made his eyes narrow invisibly under the dim light of the room. That had, undoubtedly, something to do with that raven… that 'Sei Hikari' he'd created. And whatever had happened, _would _happen to the thief, was all his fault.

He shouldn't have dragged the idiot along in the first place.

_Seems like you've forgotten what a tainted demon you are…_

"Don't tell me you've got sick …"

The seraph snapped back to reality when a warm hand was placed gently on his forehead. He batted his eyelashes, couldn't find his voice for a while as Dark pressed the other hand on his own forehead, testing the temperature. "Good. No fever." The kaitou grinned at him with his trademark grin. "God, Kraddie, you really looked ill when you spaced out like that."

The blond blinked one more time.

"Stop staring at me, will you? I feel like growing another head…"

"… Is that so?" A smirk. "Why do I get the feeling that you still have half a brain?"

"Why do _I_ get the feeling that you're still a meanie?"

"Because that's the truth, idiot."

Krad beat back a smile when the kaitou stuck his tongue out at him childishly.

"I thought you got work to do with the Niwa woman?"

"Who, Emiko? Ah, right…" The purple-haired man scratched his head. "It's about you, actually."

The seraph tilted his head in question. "About me?"

"Yeah, you know… I think… We think it's a bit dangerous for you and Satoshi to stay by yourselves at the time being, so… I was wondering if you two can stay here. Temporarily, of course." Dark quickly added.

The angel grew quiet for a while, as if not knowing how to organized his words, before he spoke up softly. "Thank you. But I'm fine by myself." He faintly heard his tamer mumbling something in protest, but simply chose to ignore the Commander.

"Oh… I see…"

He looked up, surprised to see a flash of hurt crossing amethyst pool. He'd seen stream of emotions swaying in those eyes before, happiness, sarcasm, anger, worry… but hurt? Why _hurt_? Had he said something wrong?

Or maybe it was just his eyes tricking him…

The light hunter shook his head as he raised himself, taking a step forward only to bend down, lifting the taller man's chin up. Brushing off the confusion that was annoying him to no end, he pressed their foreheads together and curved his lips, forming his usual smirk. "Don't give me that sulking face… I might believe that you're starting to fall for me…"

Dark's body heated up when the velvet notes fell into his ears, reminding him of their once again close proximity. Too close… His mind went hazy as full rosy lips drove themselves into his vision, slightly parted, seductive in their own innocent way. All he needed was to pull the blond down a little, to capture those temptingly delicious lips with his own…

Ah, damn it.

Did this mean he was physically attracted to Krad? Lusting after that golden-haired beauty?

Did this mean… something more?

"Krad?"

"Hn?"

"If anything happens… promise you'll call me?"

Golden eyes widened. "Idiot..." He muttered, turning his head away so that Dark wouldn't see his smile.

_Truly an idiot…_

* * *

In spite of being a genius who had graduated from college and went back to high school simply with an aim of enjoying a possibly normal life, Satoshi Hiwatari could never truly say that he loved spending time in class. Especially not when he finally realized that he had been thoroughly exhausted after constant complaining messages and missed phone calls from his police force during the last two weeks, about how the sixth floor of their head office had mysteriously been destroyed, how they were unable to find traces of the culprit, and how irresponsible it was for their young Commander to suddenly vanish from his honor spot and leave them to solve everything on their own. The blunette vaguely wondered what those _adults_ would say if they ever found out that he was one of the very accomplices, as he rolled his cell phone screen down and started to delete the numerous messages that had begun to narrow down his phone memory.

The blue-haired teen flipped his phone shut, resting one of his elbows on the wooden surface of the school table, using his arm to support his head while his eyes drinking in the picture of the bustling classroom. Azure orbs quickly caught sight of Niwa Daisuke, who was currently being locked yelling in Saehara Takeshi's dead grip, and Satoshi absently let a small smile dawn upon his stoic feature. He would probably have skipped school and returned home to sleep for today, if it hadn't been for Towa no Shirube's warning that he needed to watch the boy and Dark for any sign that should be considered abnormal. Moreover, the red head had dragged him out the door and given him that brilliant we-are-best-friend-and-so-we-should-go-to-school-together smile… There was just no resisting to a smile like that.

**Kids grow up fast these days…**

The Hikari almost hit his knees on the table when Krad's silky voice made its appearance from the corner of his mind. He managed to calmed himself down in a second, getting rid of the annoying blush that threatened to break free before his curse could notice, and growling out of habit at the blond's tease. **Shut up.**

**Sure, Satoshi-sama, sure… **

The fallen angel chuckled, reatreating back to his own isolation. The Commander blinked as he couldn't sense the other's presence anymore. **Krad?**

**Yes, Satoshi-sama? **

**Ah… nothing…**

**What? **Asked the hunter, clearly amused. **You rarely start a conversation with me, and when you do, all you can say is 'nothing'?**

**I just want to know if you've found the solution to our problem.**

**I'm afraid I cannot. We'll have to wait for it.**

_Wait for it? _**What do you mean?**

**Think for once, master. **The teasing tone again. **You're the genius among us.**

**Why don't you just te…**

"Ano… Hiwatari-kun?"

Satoshi reluctantly stepped out of his inner world when he heard his name called, and perked his head up. Risa Harada was standing in front of him, with her usual girly smile and equally girly posture. The boy furrowed his eyebrows. Why was _Risa Harada_, of all the people, talking to him? He was sure the girl didn't like him at all, and she wouldn't want to touch him even when her hands were covered with thick and heavy gloves.

"Yes, Harada-san?" He responded warily.

"Uhm… Someone asked me to send you this letter…" She smiled again, which was starting to increase his wariness, and handed out a folded piece of paper.

"Who sent this, Harada-san?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should read it first?" The long-haired twin flipped her hair and patted him slightly on the shoulder. "And please be careful, Hiwatari-kun. Make sure you won't fall from the rooftop."

He snapped his head towards her as the last syllables made their way to his ears. _Was that… a threat?_ Narrowing his eyes, he watched till she disappeared among various figures of his classmates, before unfolding the paper, only to find strangely neat writing on it.

_Miss me, little bird?_

**He sure is fast. **

**Wait… Don't tell me you're waiting for him?**

**Fine, I won't. Now Satoshi-sama, you know where we have to go.**

_Make sure you won't fall from the rooftop._

**I'll call Dark.**

**Don't.**

**What? You're gonna meet him in person? He's after you!**

**I know.**

**Then call Dark. He told you to call him when you needed.**

**Satoshi-sama…**

**If you won't, I will.**

Krad sighed. **Fine then…**

The blunette stood up, but immediately doubled over as electricity shot down his spine. He embraced himself and dropped back onto his seat, mentally struggling when he felt his curse surfacing for control. Shit. That smartass had tricked him to lower his guard down.

**YOU BASTARD!**

**Listen to me, master. **The seraph smirked, successfully pushing his tamer down to the back of his mind. He adjusted Satoshi's glasses and continued in a tone of a mother trying to sooth down her kid's tantrum. **You don't want to lose that kid forever, now do you?**

**I don't, but…**

**Then be a good boy. **

**But I… **He shouted angrily as a shield closed up around his soul, blocking him from the outside world. **I don't want to lose **_**you**_** either, damn it!**

Krad paused in his step. Had his host just said something? Probably blaming him again… The blond exhaled heavily and shrugged, resuming his walk to the door.

"Hiwatari-kun? Where are you going?"

It was the Niwa kid.

"I have to go…" His brain quickly worked out an excuse. "… To the principal's office, Niwa."

"Oh?" Ruby eyes trained on him curiously. "Well then… Can we meet after school?"

"Sure. I'll see you then."

Daisuke nodded, not tearing his eyes from the blue-haired boy's back as his best friend slid the door open and headed to the hall. Hiwatari-kun still acted like usual, but… but why did he get the feeling that Satoshi wasn't being himself?

* * *

Krad knew that he had, to some degree, stirred up suspicion inside the red head's mind, even though his little act under the façade of Satoshi-sama was close to perfect. He could read it from under layers of red, Niwa had recognized him as anything _but_ the icy Commander. And that was why he found himself hurried up along the way the blunete would take everytime the child wanted his aloneness, not stopping until he'd reached the end where an old, rusty door silenty rested.

He pushed it open, before tucking his hands back into his pockets and stepped out, into the sunlight.

"You sure are fast."

A voice lazily stated.

"That was exactly what I said about you… It disgusts me sometimes that we seem to have things in common."

A deep laugh escaped Sei's throat as he turned around, leaning himself casually against the railing.

"No surprise there. After all, aren't we both disgusting creatures?" The taller man threw him a funny look. "That face's nice, but it doesn't suit you, little bird. Please let me see my beauty?"

The fallen angel frowned at the tag of possession. Unearthly wings gradually sprouted from behind his back. Blue hair lengthened into strands of gold, as azure color faded into a pair of amber orbs. The black-haired man blinked when white feather suddenly blinded his sight, but a smirk was drawn at the corner of his mouth as soon as a pale hand wrapped around his neck, pressing his body to the one behind him.

"What have you done to Dark Mousy?"

"Oh my… We've been separated for two weeks, and the first thing you want to talk about is that thief?" The raven gasped mockingly. "I think I'm jealous."

"Really now? How touching." The seraph's breath crept onto his skin with equal mockery. "Sei-_chan_… You know I don't have time for this, do you? Why not cooperate for a while?"

"And free myself from this position? I'd rather not…"

The grip tightened.

"You escaped from the thief last time, but you know you won't stand a chance with me." Ah, how he loved it when his angel gave out threats.

"Of course I do. And I'm not here for a fight." The taller man raised his hands up in a surrender pose. "Neh, angel, you remember the first time I kidnapped your little kaitou? I kinda figured out how precious he is to you. After all, you came just to rescue him, didn't you? So I thought…"

He tilted his head to cast a look over his shoulders, pleased to see confusion spreading over golden pool. "… How about killing him?"

The fallen angel's grasp on him momentarily lost its tightness, and just that was enough to announce what he'd said had hit home. With his smirk lingered wider in its place, he swiftly spun around and captured both of the smaller man's wrists, slamming him onto the railing. Krad winced when metal bars grinded against his back.

"So he really _has_ become your weakness." Sei chuckled, buried his face on the crook of the hunter's neck. "I wonder what you see in him? He doesn't _deserve_ a beautiful angel like you."

"Beautiful angel, you say? Here I thought you'd addressed me as a tainted demon…"

Chuckled again. Before fingers reached up and ran across his lips.

"Beautiful, and defiant… It will pain me forever after I've granted your wish…" The raven's eyes crinkled. He leaned down once more, nibbling on milky flesh. "To be killed by your Sei-sama, isn't it?"

The blond stiffened, but only for a moment, before the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Ah, yes… So that's the reason? If you fulfil your creator's desire, then you'll be free from the Black Hole… I should have guessed." His voice became fully velvety. "But my dear little predator, that means you're not the one to satisfy me."

The black-haired man shifted, bringing his face closer to the seraph's, whispering in a seductive voice. "I'm afraid you'll have to make yourself more clear."

"Am I not clear enough?" His prey smirked. "You are not Sei-sama."

"And what makes you think that? I was created from his soul, and I have his memories. I _am_ Sei."

"If you say so…" The smirk never faded. "Then Sei-chan… my mistake, I mean Sei-_sama_… would you mind telling me about your time before you turned fourteen?"

Only silence followed his words. Sei's grip on his wrists constricted, so hard he was sure it was going to leave bruises.

"I suppose it's some sort of agreement? You don't have Sei-sama's memories. You have _mine_, is it right? And you're nothing more than…" Amusement glinted in his orbs. "… A newborn _brat_."

"… You are too smart for your own good, little bird." _Which makes me want to possess you for eternity… _The taller man added silently to himself as he felt back into his fake friendly demeanour, ignoring the head-splitting sensation that was starting to pound fiercely on his skull. _You just have to choose this moment to show up, don't you? Stupid human… _

He pulled the shorter man closer and planted a peck on his cheek. "I have to go now. But we'll meet again soon... And I'd love it if that thief doesn't intrude."

Golden eyes narrowed as the raven vanished. Why hadn't Sei killed him, or at least, tried to? The bastard had had his chance back then…

The fallen angel was woken from his thought when the bell rang. He shook his head, it was time to let his host take over. He would need Satoshi back before that Niwa kid got anymore suspicious than he'd already been.

Dark knowing about this meet was the last thing he needed.

* * *

Daisuke let out a breath of relief when he saw Hiwatari-kun enter the classroom and quietly make his way back to his usual seat. The small boy let his head drop onto the table and closed his eyes, paying no mind to Takeshi's babbling non-stop about his 'awesome photographic job' during Dark's heists. Being worried for two hours straight had worn the him out completely.

_**I wonder what kept him at the principal's office for that long…**_

_**Detention, perhaps?**_

_**Hiwatari-kun and detention? You could at least think of something reasonable, Dark…**_

_**My bad. **_The thief grinned. _**Why do you bother, anyway? Your lover's still safe and sound, see? There's nothing to worry about!**_

The red head didn't answer. He buried his face in his arms instead, smiling softly. Like Dark was the one to talk. The purple-haired man had almost yanked him out the door _thrice _in front of the whole class, and justbecause _he_ was worried about a certain _hunter_.

"… Oh yeah, Dai-chan, wanna come over to the twins' house after school?"

"Huh?" He turned towards the young reporter. "For what, Saehara-kun?"

"You haven't known yet? Risa broke her leg yesterday. Fell down the stair." Saehara sighed and shook his head in a girls-these-days manner. "I'm going to pay her a visit. Wanna come?"

Okay. Something wasn't right here.

"But… But wasn't _she_ the one talking with Hiwatari-kun just a while ago?"

"Hn? Were you delusional? She doesn't even come to class today."

_Then Hiwatari-kun… _Ruby eyes grew wide. _Oh my God, Hiwatari-kun never went to the principal's office!_

_**Dark, doesn't that mean Krad… Dark?**_

He earned himself no respond.

* * *

**Satoshi-sama… **

**Shut up.**

**You don't have to be that mad.**

**What am I supposed to do then? Thank you?**

Satoshi snapped at the curse in the back of his mind, proceeding on gathering his books. Once done, he flung his backpack over his shoulders and walked out of the classroom, towards the back gate where he – where Krad _in his body _and Daisuke had made an appointment to meet. _That arrogant, arbitrary bastard… _He thought angrily to himself, not even bothering to block the thought from the light hunter. He couldn't care less that it didn't have the ability to wipe off the annoying smirk which he presumed was plastered on the blond's face right now, he just _wanted_ that man to hear it.

But really, what had he expected from his alter-ego anyway? That Krad would be kind enough to care about what his host thought, and pay attention to whatever _he_ said? Even in his furthest dreams, it wouldn't happen.

**Forgive me, Satoshi-sama.**

Yes, that too. Krad would never apologiz… **Huh?**

**For having taken over against your will, you know… **The seraph's soft voice waved inside his head. **I beg your forgiveness.**

The Commander blinked.

**Idiot… **It took long before he reluctantly spoke up. _I wasn't mad… about you taking control…_

The part was left unsaid, however, as his blue-ocean pupils spotted a tall figure standing at his meeting place with the red head. A familiar violet-haired, clad in black coat figure.

"Dark? Where's Niwa?"

"In my head, genius, where else?" The thief greeted him with a strangely big grin. "He says he loves you, by the way."

"Urusai." He tossed the man an icy glare. "May I have the reason why you decided to show up in public at _this_ hour?"

"Why, I can't go out once in a while for fun? It's boring like Hell in there. I'm sure our Kraddie feels the same, so would you mind not being a creepy tamer and letting him out?"

The fallen angel shifted at the mention of his name, but stayed still in his corner as he silently regarded the kaitou. There was something in the taller man's grin that'd pushed his buttons of both alertness and wariness. The kind of grin that he rarely saw on the other's face – if not never - one which was unreadable as well as fathomless.

Strange.

Dark Mousy normally wasn't one of those who caused him uneasiness.

He didn't let his musing stray further, though, when Satoshi shot him a mental raise of eyebrows and asked whether he wanted to come out. The blond nodded and smoothly began the transformation, having slipped on his usual calm mode. He quickly retracted his wings the moment his pale skin tasted the heat of the sun hanging above them, then cocked his head to the side with false curiosity.

"Well, well, the legendary Phantom thief wants to meet _me_? This is the first."

"Aw, wasn't that a bit cold for a greeting?" The thief's grin got wider. "Especially for someone who's been missing you to death."

This. was. really. _not_. right.

"We only talked yesterday, and you've missed me already? I felt cherished."

"You could at least say it like you mean it, you know."

Dark's grin switched to a small pout, and the hunter's brain muscles slightly relaxed. What was he thinking? The idiot was still being his old self. It was just his tired nerve-system complaining by giving him hallucinations.

"Thief… What did you call me out for?"

"Haven't I said already? I missed you." Grinned. "You and the Creep'd been to that principal's office for over two hours, no?"

He was feeling unease again.

"What's that principal's name anyway? I kinda forgot." The thief tapped his chin, furrowing his brows as if trying to remember. "Oh yes… Isn't it _Sei Hikari_?"

* * *

_I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm SO sorry for having you all wait for too long! This is… probably the hardest chapter I've ever written. I mean, everything was all in my head, but I just didn't know how to __**write it down**__. Yes, I'm such a twit, I knew that T.T… And I know you readers must be hating me right now, but… I'm sorry?_

**Taryn: **You know what? I felt really happy when I read your review. It's so great to know that you like my fics, and I sincerely hope that I won't disappoint you in the future. **"You've already disappointed her with THIS chapter, you twit." "I know…" **(goes sit in a corner and broods).

**Domini-chan: **Yes, I know he didn't like Towa XD! And Towa's a freaking single! So what? We writers never follow the original plot, do we XD? If I did, I would have to seal Krad away and put Risa Harada in his place, and I know you definitely don't want that. Besides, I _adore_ ArgentTowa (Much more than ArgentQualia), and even TowaArgent! I think I've gone crazy… but nevermind. Hey, do you think I should write a fic about this pairing?

**Akurei. Tenshi23: **Are those ghost still bothering you? If they do (cracks knuckles)… I promise they'll have a really slow AND painful death. **"They are dead already." "I don't care." **Neh, neh, Akurei-chan, are you going to write more DarkKrad fic? (puppy eyes).

**GoddesOfWrath: **Ah yes, I know I've completely destroyed and annihilated the love scene XD! I'm so proud… not (grins stupidly). And about what exactly happened with Dark, I'm afraid I can't tell you until the next chapters…

**Stormshadow13: **Go Storm-chan! Kill Risa and Kei already! Oops, sorry, I'm a little _too_ excited when it comes to murdering those two. Aw… You like Dark's conscience? Me too XD. He seems to be a lot more rational than a certain someone, doesn't he? **"Who's that **_**certain someone**_**?" "Someone who said that he didn't love Kraddie, thief." "Good, not me."**

**Lydia-chan: **Aw, don't darn Towa-chan! She's completely innocent! I suggest you go darn the stupid no-sense-of-romance author XD!

**: **(Blushes) I'm so flattered to hear that. But it's not so hard to find good D. fanfics, you know, like stories from neko-nya, Kyuseisha no Hikari, or Animegoil… They're all .

**Crizzy-chan: **What? You actually blame me? But that was a rhetorical request XD! (By the way, do we have anything called rhetorical request?). Glad to hear that you gained good mark on your exam! And about mine, the teacher have kindly decided to put it off until August. Means I _still _have an exam to worry about…

**Minoki: **Glad you like the story! Here's the next chapter!

**Dimonyo-anghel: **How come Sei wants to kill Krad that badly? Wah… It surprised me that you asked this question right before I posted this chapter up. Well, your answer's up there!

**Peppymint: **WAH! I'm so happy I still got your review on this chapter! But… 'sneak a look at a computer' means that you haven't been back yet, right? (sighs). Here's the next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter XII**

For a while Krad couldn't utter a word. He stood still in his spot, not being able to avert his eyes away from Dark's deep amethyst ones as his pulse quickened hastily in its pace. He felt his brain already setting to work again, having only enough time to prevent his indifferent mask from sliding off his face and exposing the bewilderment that started to waver, then soon became a whirl in his mind. How did the thief know? He was sure everything had followed their smooth path, both before and after he'd returned to Satoshi-sama's classroom. Else Dark would probably have gone after him to the rooftop. The purple-haired man was skilled enough to find out where he was in an incredibly short time, even if it meant having to search the whole school campus.

Then… how?

On second thought, the seraph mused to himself, answering that query was of no use in this predicament. The primary problem was, Dark _knew._

And he hated it when he ran out of words in front of the supposed-to-be idiot.

"What are you talking about?"

Dark had expected more of a reaction from the fallen angel. Something, heck, _anything _but that calm and hint-of-defiance question as the shorter man broke the frozen air that'd been consuming both of them, gracefully approaching him with a glint of amusement in his orbs. The blond lifted his own chin up to reach the equal eye-level with the taller man, his hands hidden in his pockets.

"Did you mean that Satoshi-sama hasn't gone to his principal's place? I don't know what led you to that conclusion, but … you could always ask him…"

Damn, was that man stubborn.

The kaitou smirked. Very well, two could play that game. "Fine then… What did he do at that freak's office?"

"You should have known by now, I have no interest in my host's school life."

Krad shuddered when fingers suddenly snaked their way under the fabric of his shirt collar. The purple-haired man slowly traced his thumb along the curve of the hunter's neck, eyes condensing into a deeper violet shade as a few dots of darkening bruises were reflex into his sight.

That bastard's _kiss marks_.

"I never knew that molesting _you_ was part of the principal's work…"

There seemed to be a long, awkward pause of time, before the seraph reached up and silently removed those digits. The thief complied and dropped his hand back to his side, as he watch golden bangs pour down to shadow Krad's exquisite orbs, hiding them behind moonlight currents. The blond let out a quiet sigh, dropping his gaze to the dusty ground beneath. "Alright, you win. I did went to meet Sei. Now what?"

The purple-haired man frowned.

"Now what? All you can say is 'now what'? Do you have any idea what you could've put yourself into?"

"Of course I _did_." The fallen angel folded his arms across his chest. "I won't do something if I don't have the slightest clue as to what it's about, thief."

"I told you to call me."

"I didn't promise you that."

Their eyes bored into each other's, amethyst color penetrating into golden hue, as if both was intending to try and shatter the opponent's mental shelter. Finally, the seraph broke the contact. He stuck a hand on his silken locks, letting out a slightly irritated sigh.

"Look… Why do you keep fussing over this? It's not like I let him hurt Satoshi-sama or anything."

"Stop misinterpreting my words, will you?" Dark furrowed his eyebrows. "It's not Creepy boy I'm talking about, it's you!"

"Why, thank you." The shorter man smirked. "But I'm not just some vulnerable kid who lives on other's pity, now am I?"

Wrong choice of words.

In a split second, the thief had him pinned against the wall by his wrists. Amethyst pools were tainted with a wave of anger he had never seen before, as the thief leaned forwards till his face was merely an inch away from his. "You really don't understand, do you?" The taller man spoke up in a low, dangerous tone. "Haven't I told you already? I _care_ for you. Why do you always insist that everything I do is out of pity? Why don't you _believe me_?"

The look became so intense that Krad had even considered to turn his face a way, but the kaitou roughly grabbed his chin and forced him still.

"Answer me, Krad, what does it take... What does it take for you to…"

The last syllables didn't left his throat, instead edged away along with the fury in his eyes, before dissipating into being unspoken. And that, was when the hunter saw it. The expression on Dark's face which had been puzzling him constantly since that night at the Niwa mansion.

Hurt.

All of a sudden, he got what the other was trying to say. He got it, and got it so hard that his heart started to clench in a severe rhythm which had long been left forgotten in his memories.

_What does it take for you to trust me?_

He hadn't meant to hurt the thief.

He had never intended to hurt him that way.

"Mousy, I…"

"Go home."

The purple-haired man coldly cut him off. Dark realeased his arms before he stood up straight, turning on his heels and walking away from the fallen angel. Amber orbs bored into the kaitou's retreating back, as Krad's larynges twisted together, trapping his voice inside an invisible cage. He found his stomach lurching, stabbing his slender body with an empty turbulence, to the point where he felt nauseated.

It would be better to let the thief stay away from him, right? Then he shouldn't feel like this. After all, hadn't he gotten used to being hated, being left behind? Even if _Dark Mousy_ was the one who had turned away from him, he wasn't supposed to feel…

… lonely…!?

He…

The taller man stopped mid-step when the blond tugged at his coat. The gesture wasn't harsh, but it was enough to make him pause and slightly turn his head to get a better view over his shoulders. Golden hair was pressing against his back, with its naturally sweet vanilla scent that somehow always had the ability to push him into a dizzy world.

"I'm sorry…"

It came out as a breeze-like whisper, and was all he could hear before white feathers blinded him, swallowing the small frame of the blond. Satoshi appeared a second later in the seraph's spot, shaking his head at the look the kaitou was sending him. "He blocked himself out…"

Dark opened his mouth as if going to say something, but quickly changed his mind and stayed silence. He gave the blunette a curt nod, then pushed himself back into Daisuke's mind corner, leaving the two boys by themselves at the school's back gate. Deep fiery eyes blinked as a ray of light dropped into his vision, before the Niwa bent down to pick up his backpack, smiling sadly at his best friend.

"Those two… are really complicated…"

* * *

Satoshi put his pen back onto the table, restraining himself from releasing a heavy breath. He couldn't understand why he suddenly found this deadly quietness inside his head beyond uncomfortable and irritating. It was odd. He should be taking this moment when Krad wasn't bothering him as bliss, considering that his second main purpose of life – besides making Daisuke happy – was to get rid of his curse, his uninvited inhabitant.

And yet… it was getting more uncomfortable and irritating.

**Krad?**

**Yes, Satoshi-sama? **

The blond's voice had fallen back into its normally smooth melody. The icy Commander scowled. So maybe Krad wasn't that upset… Maybe he was just imagining things.

**Do you think it's okay… about Dark?**

There was a long pause, before the seraph softly answered. **Sure, Satoshi-sama… It'll be better if he stays away from this…**

Maybe, just maybe, Satoshi wasn't that much of a paranoiac.

The blue-haired boy rubbed his temples, standing up from his chair and proceeding towards the kitchen, where he rummaged around for anything that could be carelessly used to stuff his small stomach. He didn't need to care anyway. Krad always knew how to solve his own problems, and as long as those solutions didn't involve his red head getting injured, there was no need to busy his already busy mind with them.

_Wonder what he's doing in there…_

ARG!! Why was he wondering that again? He didn't care! He really didn't…

Fine. He cared. So what? It wasn't like he _knew_ how to comfort someone properly, let alone the fallen angel. It was a lot more easy to just snap at the man's face, like what he'd been doing for nearly a year.

What would he do if he were Daisuke?

If he were Daisuke…

… Like he could ever be like his best friend. The red head always did miracles with the incredible understanding side of his, when it came to comforting people.

And he?

He had to do this his way.

--

Krad lifted his head up, a tinge of surprise in his eyes as he saw the blunette intrude his dark corner. The hunter observed silently as Satoshi made his way towards him, and continued to do so until the boy dropped himself next to him and drew one of his legs up.

"Satoshi-sama?"

"Shut up. I'm not here because of you."

Ah yes, one would _certainly_ say _that_ when he wanted to comfort somebody. The azure-eyed boy could already see the fallen angel raising an eyebrow, which made him in turn glare at the man with an unspoken do-not-get-any-idea-because-it's-not-true-anyway threat, then promptly turned his head away to focus his gaze on an imaginary spot at the distance.

He could, indeed, never be like Daisuke.

"It's getting… boring out there…" _Great excuse, you genius…_

"I see. And you think I'm somehow more interesting?"

Stupid hunters and their stupid sarcasm. "Shut up."

"Sure, Satoshi-sama…"

Satoshi was taken aback as pure white wings gently wrapped around him. He looked up questioningly at the seraph, who smiled back slightly and closed his eyes like he was about to fall into a deep slumber.

"In case… it gets cold down here…"

* * *

Dark turned over and stared into the darkness.

He had been like this for what he assumed to be over two hours, having no interest in doing anything else but lying there and peering at the thick, coal-like realm. He had tried to go to sleep, once, only to find his gaze again stabbing through the familiar blackness of his lightless dimension, persistently pursuing an illusion which his mind had insisted on creating.

A flash of gold.

The thief buried his face into his right hand and groaned. Why did he keep thinking about the blond? And why did he feel almost… almost _guilty_ about what had happened? He had had every right to get mad at the shorter man, right? It was all Krad's fault for going to that bastard without telling him. For not _trusting_ him.

_I'm sorry…_

The purple-haired man growled.

Damn that seraph. Of all things, he just _had_ to use that broken tone on him… the tone which reminded him so much of that night at the police station. The night when he'd first seen the fallen angel cry… He had thought Krad was going to cry again, and for whatever reasons, he couldn't stand the image of those teary amber orbs. Perhaps that was why his brain had gone too panick to remember that the man was proud enough not to do that for the second time, much less in front of him. All he knew was that he'd wanted, desperately, to reach out and pull the hunter into his embrace, to tell him to stop being so stubborn...

To kiss him.

Were all those things merely about… lust?

_Back to the idiot again, aren't we?_

_Shut up._

_Now, now, wasn't that a very nice way to greet me, your great conscience?_

Dark smacked himself on the forehead. Hard.

_Why in the Heaven am I cursed with you?_

_The same reason why I haven't conquered the world yet. But that's not the point… I think…_

_Why the hell are you here?_

_The same reason why I haven't con…_

_I'm serious._

_Fine, fine. Sheesh, do you even have to ask? I'm here because you're having problems involving that sexy blondie…_

_Don't. talk. about. him. that. way._

_No need to get mad now, Mousy-sama. _His conscience snickered._ You know I'm basically you, therefore, I speak what you think. Don't tell me you've never thought of pinning that pretty angel to your bed and…_

_Do __**not**__ make me break my head and kill both of us._

The snickering immediately died down. His conscience cleared its throat and adjusted itself to a more comfortable position in his head. Point taken.

_Okay, okay. Tell me, thief, what exactly do you… er… feel about our hunter?_

What did he feel about Krad? He had hated the blond before, sure, but now…

_I… don't know…_

He could practically _feel _the conscience rolling its eyes.

_Do you still hate him?_

_No…_

_Do you want to protect him?_

_Yes…_

_You can't stand it when he cries?_

_Yes…_

_You can't stand it when he's sad, either?_

_Yes…_

_You wanna see him smile?_

_Yes…_

_You wanna pin him to the bed and have your way with him?_

_Ye… I said I was serious!_

_My bad… I mean, do you want to be near him as much as possible?_

A moment of silence.

_Yes… I think…_

_So genius, what do you __**call**__ this feeling?_

… _Lust…!?_

His seem-to-be rational side groaned and slapped its hand onto its forehead, shaking its head disappointedly in the apparent manner of a teacher giving up on a thick-headed student.

_Your brain is just beyond unrepairable. I wonder what that blond sees in you…_

_I resent that!_

_Fine, you imbecile. Let me give you something simpler. Tell me, why did you get angry at the poor angel again?_

_Because he kept saying that whatever I do was out of pity. _

_And?_

_Because he doesn't trust me?_

_And?_

_That's all._

_Don't lie to me. I'm your conscience._

_Fine… Maybe because I saw those… those…_

… _Kiss marks. Alright, you lost your temper when you saw those kiss marks because…?_

Why had he got mad when he'd seen those marks? What a ridiculous question. How could he _not_, when he knew that Sei had laid his filthy fingers on the blond? That the shitty bastard had dared touch his angel that way…

Wait… _His?_

The kaitou blinked.

His.

_**Dai-chan! DAI-CHAN! Help me to…**_

_**All done.**_

_**What?**_

_**You thoroughly hurt my ego, Mr. Mousy. **_Wow. Never had he thought Daisuke could mimick his tone, and that perfectly. _**We've been best friends for a year, and you think I still don't understand you at all?**_

_**You're amazing.**_

_**Thanks.**_

_Hey, hey, what about me?_

_Of course you're amazing. You're basically me._

_Smartass…_

_Why thank you._

The purple-haired man smirked as his conscience pouted childishly in the back of his mind. Now that he had finally figured out what his feelings were…

… He wasn't going to let _his_ hunter go like that.

* * *

The Hikari awoke from his inner world when his phone rang. Flipping it open, he brought the machine to his ear and silently listened to Saehara-san's talking, before hanging up with a slight curve on his lips.

_Took that idiot too long…_

**Krad? Seems like we've got a notice tonight…**

* * *

_A pretty corny chapter, no? Wait and see if I could make the next chappie even cornier XD! And again, sorry for making you wait (sniffs). It's my fault for being a twit, but despite that, I still love you all. So don't kill me before I finish this story, please?_

**The Lantern: **Punishing Krad for not listening? My, that gave me a pretty interesting idea involving an angel being chained to the bed, and… yeah you get the point. But what a pity, this is a T-rated fic XD. Maybe I should go and plot an M one?

**Domini-chan: **Aw, don't call yourself a horrible author! 'Cause if you're one, then I don't know what I should call myself XD. And you're going to rewrite "The Bashing of Harada Risa"? To tell you the truth, I'm not very satisfied with the last three chapters, but the rest are great! By the way, you're having ideas for Qualia? A RikuQualia fic maybe XD? Interesting…

**GoddesofWarth: **Yes, that does make sense! Everything involving Krad getting caught by Dark appear to be cute to me XD! And about Krad letting Sei molest him… I need it to proceed onto this chapter, so yeah… Poor my Kraddie (sniffs).

**Minoki: **Thanks! Glad you like the chappie!

**Akurei. Tenshi23: **WHAT!? They're still bugging you? (crackles heavily, snatchs the Hikari ghosts and locks them into the toilet again, this time with Risa XD). My apologies, they're annoying sometimes. But wah, please don't make Sei and Sei not eat, I still need them for my next chapter XD! And… YAY! You're gonna write another DarkKrad fic? And SatoDai wedding! I love you!

P/s: Don't worry about the long review, I love long review!

**Sinful ang3l: **I can't wait too XD! That's why… I'm apologizing for making you wait. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**: **Have you checked those author out yet? They're all amazing, right, right? The rest are on my favourite author list (except for FastForward and xXxDeathOnArrivalxXx, they're Naruto authors), you can check my profile if you want.

**Stormshadow13: **Yes, I have replied to your PM, but it seemed like you haven't received it yet, so I had no choice but to drop you a review… So sorry about that DX. By the way, have choirfolk-san PMed you back yet?

**Crizzy-chan: **I'm sorry for making you wait _again_ (wails loudly)! But please don't get mad, at least I've pulled the idiot out of his closet! You can kill him if you want! But please wait until they've kissed each other (which's gonna happen soon), will you?

**Taryn: **I'm glad I haven't disappointed you with the last chapter (hugs). And, you like a cute Dark-seme, don't you? (grins). Me too (though I also love to read about a cool Dark with equal passion XD). It's fun to dig into that thief's cute side once in a while, no?


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